Mistakes Happen
by Monitor
Summary: Rating changed cuz of plot idea change. PG just to be safe. Boba Fett is getting old, and he knows it. He knows he should pass on his genes, but he knows that he doesn't have a chance for love, nor does he want it. so what will he do? PLEASE R&R!
1. Return to Kamino

Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING in Star Wars!!! ANYTHING!!! You hear me? ANYTHING!! NOTHING!! NADA!! ZIP! ZERO!! I am NOT George Lucas. I did not create the galaxy that created the BEST move series in history. So don't sue me…  
  
Soooo… this is the outcome of TOOOOOOO much sugar…. Yep, yessirie! TTTTOOOO mmmuuuccchh sssuuugggaaaarrrr. Heh! So, this is strange, and there will be violence in other chapters, but I'll probably let you know BEFORE you read.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Boba Fett sat pondering in the cockpit of his ship, when a startling thought inched it's way into his carefully composed mind. He had touched it briefly before a long time ago, but had avoided it since. It was a frightening thought to him for no more than a second, but then he decided it would smooth over soon enough. The thought was, indeed, the fact that he was not timeless, and he was getting old. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, and gazed out at the stars. He would not live forever, he knew, and he felt that ancient instinct that was engraved deep into the nature every being from the beginning of life: the will to continue his own genes, to make another like himself. His father had felt this primal instinct, and now he did too. What would the galaxy be without a Fett anyhow? (a lot less interesting that's for sure) His impassive mind had no interest in romance or anything of the sort; not a chance, and he knew it. He sighed, knowing the only reasonable answer. Boba Fett set the hyperspace coordinates and watched as the stars streaked into blurs and Slave I shot into hyperspace.  
  
  
  
The water planet loomed before the bounty hunter ship as it soared toward the sparsely colonized ocean. Slave I hailed to land in Tipoca City, and his request was granted almost instantly. He slid Slave I onto the landing platform, remembering how he had been so eager to fly the ship in his younger years. The memory was over in a few seconds, for he could hardy remember it. 'Am I really that old, or have I forgotten?' he thought, shaking his head. He climbed out of his ship and into the poring rain. The huge drops of moisture splattering on his visor as he strode to the doors of the cloning city.  
  
"Boba!" When Boba Fett entered the complex, he was greeted instantly with a familiar voice. He turned and looked up into the dazzling, galaxy filled eyes of an old Kaminoan. "Such a pleasure to see you once again."  
  
"Hullo Tuan We. I see you're still in your feet."  
  
"Well, my profession is not as dangerous as yours. We have heard of you here from clients from around the galaxy. Your father would be proud."  
  
"Thanks." Boba did not want to think of his father now. He was a businessman now, and not the child Tuan We had last seen. "I want to see the Prime Minister, I have some business to do."  
  
  
  
Boba Fett sat with the new Prime Minister in one of the strange chairs they had there. He was past the expenses and onto the housing difficulties. Things used to be a lot easier, but the Kaminoans had become stricter, with the Empire and all; but of course, the Empire was attempting to nurse its wounds and the Republic was building up once again. The Kaminoans didn't know this, obviously, but Boba didn't bother to correct them, it would insult.  
  
"So," the Prime Minister folded his fingers together and regarded the bounty hunter again. "You want a living quarters for two, and the freedom to come and go as you please, with or without the clone."  
  
"Yes. That is my offer, and it will stand." Boba sat back and folded his arms over his armor, careful not to set off his rocket launcher.  
  
"I will think of it. That is a considerable offer and the price your offering is quite low for that much, but acceptable. You will be given living quarters for one in the meantime, if you wish to stay." The Prime Minister gave a side-long glance at the intimidating figure sitting in the chair near him. "Or perhaps you would prefer to stay in contact, you could leave until the decision is made."  
  
"I will stay here."  
  
"As you wish. Tuan We, please show him out."  
  
Tuan We lead Boba Fett down a corridor and opened a door to a one human living space. Boba looked around, studying the space. He stepped in and turned back to Tuan We.  
  
"Who else is here?"  
  
"I suspected you would be cautious, so I took the liberty to get you the latest comings and goings." The tall being handed Fett a readout database of, like she said, the latest comings and goings in Tipoca City. The door hissed shut as the bounty hunter walked into the quarters, looking at the readout. Everything was fine. The few other clients had left just a few Standard Time Units before he had gotten there. He nodded, then commenced in scanning the room for spy devices, and found none.  
  
He would not take off his armor, he just took off the large weapons, and kept the small gadgets and his blaster-rifle with him. His mind was working for another barter with the Prime Minister if his original plan didn't work out. He sat back in a chair and drifted into a semi-sleep, waiting with endless patience for the reply.  
  
  
  
So? You like? I hope you like! please review, I wanna know what you peoples think of my endless Fett stories…they go on and on and on and on and on and on and on, just like the Energizer bunny!!! Hee hee! I mean, like, the stories don't go on, but the subject of Fett in stories goes on…if that made ANY sense, I'll be impressed with you…. Well, that's the first chap, but I got more planned! 


	2. One in a million

You know the drill. I blab on and on about how thankful I am for reviews, which I am. But since fanfic is not working right now, I can't tell if you reviewed or not. I hope you have though, or at least read it.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
So it was decided: Boba Fett would get what he wanted for the price he wanted; even the Prime Minister of Kamino didn't want to displease the bounty hunter. Boba had moved into the new quarters and dressed in simple clothing, without any of his armor, though he always kept a blaster in reach. At the moment, a blaster was slung over his hip as he strode down the corridor with Tuan We. The bright whiteness had stung his eyes when he was first without his helmet, but he soon got used to it.  
  
Boba felt a mild curiosity of what it was like to be cloned: he had never seen his father do it, but he was under the impression of lots and lots of needles. He figured that he wouldn't need so many needles, after all, he only wanted one clone, not millions.  
  
He was led into a medium sized room with a strange concoction sitting in the middle of the room. Around it, several machines with needles on them also made an intimidating figure. Boba raised an eyebrow at Tuan We.  
  
"You won't be using all these needles, of course. Only one or two, or something like that. Cloning is not my job here." Tuan We drifted out of the room, leaving Boba to the cloners.  
  
  
  
It hadn't been so bad. Boba was now back in his room, free of needles and hovering Kaminoans. He sat back in a chair, wondering what to do now. He looked at his neat pile of equipment, but everything was in tiptop shape and clean and would work without a second's delay. He crossed his arms over his chest, then looked down. He realized his body structure was not like his father's. He wasn't as bulky, and his muscles didn't show themselves off, but anyone who had fought him knew that he was not the person to get in hand-to-hand combat with, and people knew that even if they hadn't fought him. This caused him to wonder: would his son look a little different from him? Maybe, maybe not. Tuan We had said that sometimes a clone's DNA and/or genes get a little scrambled in the process, but drastic changes were not common; in fact, it was one in five-hundred thousand that the DNA and/or genes got scrambled in the tiniest bit, and one in a million that the DNA and/or genes got scrambled drastically.  
  
So a day passed with Boba feeling restless, a feeling he had not felt for years. He slept fitfully and with a blaster in a hand's reach. He wondered how long the process to actually come up with a baby clone took. The second day of waiting and finally news came.  
  
There was a small ding as the door slide open and a young Kaminoan came in; there was something about his eyes that made Boba feel something was wrong.  
  
"Please come with me, sir." said the Kaminoan in a misty voice. "They want you to see your clone. There has been a, well, error."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Boba stood with the ease and agility of a cat and kept up easily with the stride of the Kaminoan. They entered a room with one jar at the far wall. The jar was filled with a bluish liquid and there was a baby floating around in there with tubes and wires attached to it. Boba approached cautiously, wondering what he would see. He looked down into the glass and noticed something was wrong.  
  
"Uh, I'm not big on babies, but," he paused to make sure he had looked right, "isn't there something missing."  
  
"Yes, there was a mix up in the er, X and Y genes and your clone, sir, um."  
  
"One in a million," Boba murmured, gazing down at his daughter.  
  
  
  
ONE in a million, how sad. Oh well, I'm sure it will work out nicely. Review VERY welcome, thanks. Sorry it was so short, but it was to get the plot going. 


	3. The hunt

Yeah, FanFic is barely up, but reviewing is down, so I'll just start the chapter.yeah.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Boba let the tiny fingers curl around his pointer finger, let her play with his fingers, her eyes looking at them with fascination. He smiled at the baby girl, now two months old and still without a name. He had had a name for a male clone, but now.well, that name wouldn't work. When she grew, Boba didn't want her to think it had been her fault and had a boy's name as punishment; it would get in the way of her training.  
  
Yes, Boba was keeping her, what ever her name would be. He had thought about it for a week, but had become attached to the girl and her charming personality. She was so lively and interested in everything. Boba had often had to rescue her from swallowing little things until he could baby- prof the room. He had put all of his armor and equipment in a locked closet, half afraid she would set off a bomb or something, and half afraid she would choke on one of the little things he had, like a piece of his blaster rifle, one of the little add-ons. Anything else that she could choke on was put in higher places.  
  
She had gone to sleep, her hand falling limply from his, curling up in her blanket and making soft cooing sounds. Boba smiled lovingly. He was becoming soft in just two months, think about in the next year. He had love few things in his life, only his father, that long forgotten man in his mind, his ship, and the hunt. That had been the limit of his feelings toward anything in this galaxy. But now, there was this other little tiny babe that had captured his fancy, bringing out his feelings once more and directing them toward herself. Boba knew, without a doubt, that he would do anything, anything, to protect this little girl.  
  
Little girl. That and Baby were her nicknames. He couldn't think of anything that would suit her. Though imagination and creativity in this subject were not what he was known for; in fact, he hardly had those things in his mind. He used creativity in hunting to think up new strategies sometimes, only sometimes. But that was for hunting, not thinking up names. He had spent all of his time thinking up possibilities, but none of them sounded good to him. It had to have a certain ring to it, like Boba Fett and Jango Fett. they sounded good, intimidating sometimes, and they had both been feared in their times. No, Boba was not retiring, it's just that everyone in the galaxy knew he was gone, so they thought he was dead. Let them think that, they will know the truth soon enough, when he returns to the hunt.  
  
Why return then? He looked down at his daughter, who was fast asleep. This girl was not the kind to wake up suddenly and start crying. Boba had heard women complain about their babies and how they had kept them up all night crying. No, that was not Boba Fett's daughter. She slept like a rock all through the night. Boba got up slowly and walked out of the room he was sharing with her for now and to the closet. He unlocked it silently and put on all his armor and the equipment he had brought with him from his ship. He had left his heavy-duty stuff onboard. He checked on her once more and left out the door to find Tuan We.  
  
"Hello Boba, leaving?"  
  
"Yes, I would like you to keep in touch with this," he handed Tuan We a com- link, "I'll just be away for a day or so, but tell me if something happens and I need to get back here." Without waiting for a reply, he walked down the hall to the docking bay with his ship. He had never planned on leaving, and he had not wanted to, but he missed the hunt and needed to just hunt some low down scum for Jabba or something like that. Nothing too elaborate, just a small bounty, that was all.  
  
He slid into the pilot chair of Slave I with ease, feeling at home in his ship, comfortable. He lifted off, sailing out of the atmosphere and away into hyperspace.  
  
  
  
"Drinks for everyone!" shouted Cnat Shanana in a local cantina on Tatooine.  
  
His friend slouched over, refusing to drink, eyes shifting nervously around. "I don't know; he's been gone before."  
  
"Yes, but not this long. Boba Fett is dead, Koult, get it through your head. He's not coming back, and he won't get us. He is dead!" Cnat shook his friend, who finally nodded.  
  
"I suppose your right. Give me a drink."  
  
The whole cantina was an uproar, and so were many others that night on other planets. It had been whispered from ear to ear in hushed voices as if it was said too loud he would hear and come back: Boba Fett is dead.  
  
"An' even if he wasn't, which he isn't, dead, then the bounties on our heads would be too small for him to notice. I mean, 3,000 credits each is so low that even Bossk wouldn't bother. Only small time bounty hunters that we can pick off easy try those." Cnat's voice was slurred from the drink.  
  
"Yeah, your right. To Boba Fett, who finally kicked the bucket!"  
  
"Hear hear!" several creatures around them shouted.  
  
Boba Fett sat outside above the doorway, listening. He felt a sort of amusement at the show the creatures in the cantina were putting on, shouting and drinking. Idiots, he thought. The two he was hunting at the moment would only give him 6,000 credits, but that's ok. He wasn't doing this for credits, just for a small return to the hunt. Rumors would be spread, he new, but let them spread; he didn't care about rumors and he never had.  
  
He was focused on the hunt, all thought of his daughter out of his mind. Maybe he could walk in, that would cause some panic. Or maybe he could wait till they come out, then it would be harder for them to slip away. He decided to wait, perched on to door or the cantina, watching to see who came out.  
  
A group of aliens came out first, hanging on each other for support. Then a group of mixed humans and aliens emerged, but his quarry was not among those either. Finally a group of about 12 humans came out, and Boba Fett sighted his prey. He leapt down, tracking along in the shadows behind them silently. He was catching up, deciding which one to pick off first when he ran into an old woman who was covered in rags. She screeched when she saw who had run into her, and ran out at the group of drunken men, screaming her head off. Boba froze.  
  
"HELP!! HE'S AFTER MEEEEE!!!!!" She ran to the men, who had pulled out there blasters. "BOUNTY HUNTER!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" The men form the cantina pushed the woman away and closed in a tight circle. Boba cursed the woman, but it was no use killing her now. The light in the house beside him turned on, and a man came out with a blaster rifle, looking for who said something about a bounty hunter (idiot). Boba Fett turned to the man beside him and shot him down, closing his door and cutting off the light. But it was too late, people had seen him, but it was Koult who shouted first.  
  
"BOBA FEEEEETT!!!!!" Everything erupted into chaos then, people shattered and fired blasters randomly, others threw themselves on the ground, praying or pleading or crying like babies. Boba Fett snapped off a few shots of his own, just to create more confusion. Then he saw Cnat and Koult sneaking away and he emerged from the shadows and rocketed up over the chaos and landed right in front of the fleeing pair.  
  
"Don't move."  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"  
  
Cnat was shot down with a stun bolt, but Koult dived behind be hind some trash and crates. Boba Fett kept one eyes on the chaos and crept up to the crates keeping his blaster steady. The chaos died down, but no one came to help Koult, not wanting to get in Boba Fett's way. Some stayed away to watch, but others fled, afraid.  
  
Koult sat, waiting for the bounty hunter to appear and kill him. Just my luck, he thought, when Boba Fett actually come back, he goes after me. Why ME?! With a spur of a sudden will to live, Koult leapt up and fired his blaster. The shot went wildly off but Boba nonetheless dived out of harms way, behind some crated and scrap metal. Koult could hardly believe it, and he kept firing, keeping the bounty hunter pinned.  
  
  
  
It came suddenly. Boba was pinned down by blaster fire, but he knew now. He knew a name for his daughter. Joad. Joad Fett. It was perfect for her. He smiled under his helmet then snapped off a few shots at the merchandise.  
  
"Boba?" Boba jumped, then remembered the com-link to Tuan We.  
  
"Yes, Tuan We?" he growled and snapped off a few more stun blasts over his shoulder.  
  
"Your daughter misses you. She has woken up and is crying."  
  
"Well, honestly, I would come back right now," more blasts over his shoulder, "but I'm kind of in the middle of something." More blasts over his shoulder.  
  
"Well, do hurry. I'll get take care of her till your return." The connection died, and Boba once again returned to the hunt.  
  
  
  
Boba returned to Kamino waiting to see his daughter and tell her her name. He walked through the white corridors, and to his room. Tuan We looked up from Joad, who was playing with some large blocks on the floor.  
  
"Boba your back. Was your trip successful?"  
  
"Fairly."  
  
Joad looked up at Boba in his armor and weapons and his helmet, and started to cry.  
  
"Uh, Tuan We? What is she doing?"  
  
  
  
Soooo, that's the chapter for now! Hope you like! oh, I'm not planning on doing major time warps, just little ones and not very often. I don't want Joad to grow up too fast. : ) 


	4. Uneasy steps

Chapter 4  
  
Joad turned out to be a lively, enthusiastic baby. She crawled around and often followed her father around the quarters, seemingly not wanting to let him out of her sight. She said her first word (blaster) and her father was very proud of her, his cold heart melting at the sight of her every morning. He, of course, hid that from the Kaminoans, not that they would care or anything.  
  
He hadn't been on a hunt for about 8 months and he missed it, but that would have to wait. Now Boba didn't want to leave Joad, even if his last small hunt had been a success. One thing that disappointed him was the fact that Joad didn't like his helmet. She had cried when he returned from the hunt 8 months ago, and cried each time he presented it to her. Fetts do not cry. 'She will get used to it. Give her time, Boba.' had been the words of Tuan We, and Boba decided she had been right.  
  
At the moment, Boba was playing with Joad, bouncing her in his knee. She made the usual sounds of enjoyment, her voice wobbling from the bouncing. Boba held her hands, smiling. It was wonderful, having a child. He stopped and cuddled with Joad and she explored his face with her tiny hands. Her hands ran across scars that dotted his face and ended up tugging on a nostril. Boba pulled his face away, and let her play with his hands, grinning. Despite his happiness, he found himself thinking of things he did not want to think about.  
  
Had he been like this? A vulnerable little babe so fascinated with everything? She is so vulnerable.what if something happened to him; what would happen to her? Or if someone came here and found out who he was? No, nothing like that would happen, he decided. He would never let anything separate him from Joad. Nobody would figure out who he was and how precious Joad was to him.  
  
How wrong he was.  
  
  
  
Joad was growing fast, and it was time to start some training exercises. Just little things now, nothing like what she is going to go through when she gets older. Just little things.like learning how to walk, that's always an important part of becoming a bounty hunter.  
  
Boba held Joad's hands as she took her very first assisted step. She giggled and took another and another. Slowly, Boba let go with one hand and held on with the other. Joad squealed with delight and took two more hurried steps and promptly fell on her bottom. She didn't cry, however, and got back up with the help of her father and began to walk with one hand supporting her, but not helping too much. Slowly, ever so slowly, Boba eased his hand from hers and let her go on her own. And so it was that Joad, the next generation's Fett, took her first unassisted, uneasy step into the galaxy.  
  
  
  
Koult could not believe his luck or the stupidity of his captor, a small time spice dealer. He had managed to convince the spice dealer that he had nothing to do with Cnat when he had dropped the spice instead of delivering it. He had also managed to convince him that his partner was the one to blame everything on, because "he hadn't been there". Now, Koult was out on the streets of Nar Shaddaa, not believing his luck at being alive and still with a bit of credits that he had also convinced the spice trader to let him keep. They were enough to get him a cheap transport off planet. Then he would have enough to enter a few games of sabacc and maybe get some credits and if he got enough credits it was onto phase two of his plan.  
  
  
  
Joad smiled as she slept, quiet unaware of the uneasiness stirring in her father's gut. Boba had felt something, something that troubled him. Though he was not Force sensitive, he had learned to trust his instinct, whether he liked it or not. Right now, though, he would rather not trust it, for it worried him.  
  
It told him something was coming for him.  
  
  
  
Sooooo.I have to wait till document upload thing is working again, but at least I got I typed! I hope you can read it and enjoy, even if you can't review. Or maybe it's just MY computer, I don't know. 


	5. Guilty!

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.. I said it, now don't sue me.  
  
Sorry for the lateness. I've been on vacation. So no, I haven't dropped over dead. I'M STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!!!! Ok, sure. Whatever you say. Here's your medicine and we'll take you to a nice room with padded walls and you get a comfy jacket too. Come this way. NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! *chucks self down nearest shaft. * NEEEEVEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!! Sorry you had to witness that.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Koult had won his second Sabacc match! He lost the first by a lot. He was so proud of himself! He was the full of credits, now all he had to do was keep from being robbed. Now on to phase two of his master plan. He chuckled to himself as he bought a ticket for a large space shuttle.  
  
  
  
Joad had stumbled upon something interesting purely by accident. She giggled as she tried to lift the blaster-rifle. Her hand was straying dangerously close to the trigger just as Boba entered to room. PECHEW!! It was his quick bounty hunter reflexes that saved him. He dived into an open door and pulled his blaster, thinking for an instant that he was under attack. Then he heard Joad giggle. He sighed and cautiously peeked around the door and saw that Joad had set the blaster-rifle down and was smiling and giggling at her father. He smiled back and walked out and picked up the rifle. Soon she would learn how to shoot one of these.  
  
  
  
"Hee hee!" Clang, thud! "Oof! Oopsies!" Boba looked up from the data pad to see Joad had gotten up the desk and had knocked over the lamp, herself sliding off. He smiled, thrilled at his daughter's curiosity at everything and urge to understand it. He got up and picked her up easily and put her on his shoulder.  
  
"What have you done now, Joad?"  
  
"Nuffing." she said and put on her best innocent face and then smiled guiltily at his mock frown. "Knoced th' lamp oder." She pointed a smiled finger at the desk. "On tha uder side."  
  
"It's ok. Just remember to tell me the truth, ok?"  
  
"Sure dad!"  
  
He smiled and set her down and busied himself with cleaning up the shattered lamp bits. When he was finished he returned to the data pad and was interested to see that something new had appeared on the screen:  
  
New client expected.  
  
  
  
Hummm...short, sweet and simple. How do you like my baby talk? Joad is so cute! Hope you like! Once again, sorry for my delay. Please review! 


	6. Small Talk

Disclaimer: Well shoot, I've got to admit I don't own Star Wars.shoot.  
  
More of this.interesting story. Thanx very much for the reviews all of you. I deeply apologize for the lateness and slowness of the chapters, but I'm working on it.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Koult had arrived. He walked through the halls of Tipoca City on Kamino with a local who said her name was Tuan We. He felt out of place in the white, shimmering halls. He was dressed in his old, worn shirt, vest and pants with a blaster slung at his hip. he was looking forward to living here, along with some new people.  
  
Suddenly a girl ran into his path. She stopped cold at the sight of Koult, her eyes widening in wonder. A man followed and he also stopped and looked at Koult, but not in wonder, but more like surprise. Koult felt the hair on his neck rise eerily when he saw the cold eyes examine him. Had he met this man before?  
  
"This is the new client Tuna We?" the man asked, scooping up his daughter.  
  
"Yes. This is Koult Manzar from Corrillia." Koult nodded.  
  
"I am Jaster, and this is my daughter Joad."  
  
Koult nodded again, too much in wonder to speak. He knew he had seen this man before. He was sure he had been afraid of him. But were? And when?  
  
"Come this way, Master Koult." Koult obediently followed Tuan We. When he looked back, both father and daughter were staring at him, each with a different expression on their face, if you could call blankness an expression.  
  
  
  
Joad tugged on her fathers arm after Koult had turned the corner.  
  
"Who was it daddy?"  
  
"A new client here. Stay away from him, and don't tell him anything."  
  
"But why?" Joad looked at him expectantly, her eyes giving away her wonder.  
  
"I'll tell you later maybe. As soon as he's left. Come on, let's go work on your aim."  
  
"YAY!" Joad cried and leapt down from her father's arm and ran ahead down to the training room they had had set aside for them.  
  
Boba followed his daughter, but as he walked past the conference room, he couldn't help but to stop and listen. He heard Koult saying what he wanted from the Kaminoans.  
  
"I want two clones that look identical, but follow orders from me without question. They need to look exactly like me. Not a hair different."  
  
"You understand, of course, theses will take time, unless you want them to have rapid growth." Boba heard the Prime Minister say.  
  
"Yes, I want them as soon as possible. Also I want living quarters for one. I don't want my clones living with me, too creepy."  
  
"And how much do you have to pay for this?"  
  
Boba left, that was all he needed to know. If the Prime Minister liked the sum, then Koult would be staying for a while. It would be difficult to keep the secret, but if he had a talk with Tuan We and Joad and stayed away from him as much as possible, then everything might go ok. Might.  
  
  
  
"Boba, I don't see what all the securities about."  
  
"That man has been in my ship as hard merchandise. I don't want him to find out about me staying here, and with a little daughter. He would sell the news, most likely, and that would put Joad and I in very hard positions. I would have to leave the security of the planet and every stop on another planet or even in space would spell danger, and." Boba continued pacing in front of Tuan We.  
  
"It was so before there was Joad. You have plenty of enemies, and some of them are probably looking for you right now. You can't hide forever Boba. And before, most of the situations that you got into were sure to kill a lesser man. None of those dangers even bothered you before. You're just having the worries of a father. Relax, she's a Fett, she can survive." Tuan We countered Boba's worrying. They both looked at the door that lead to Joad private room where she was sleeping for the moment.  
  
"Your right." He composed himself for a second, when a new wave of thoughts hit him. Hadn't he trained himself not to do this? "Well, then it was only me and the merchandise. And it's not Boba anymore! Until Koult leaves, I am Jaster. I can't let him find out. It would ruin me, and my career. Until she's old enough, I wasn't planning on leaving for anywhere." His attention transferred from Tuan We to the door as footsteps rang down the hall towards them, human footsteps.  
  
There was the door chime and Jaster (a.k.a Boba) went and pushed to button that allowed the door to slide silently open. Koult looked in and saw Tuan We, and look uneasy.  
  
"Have I intruded on something?"  
  
"No," Jaster smoothly covered, "we were just finished." Tuan We bowed gracefully and exited around Koult. When Koult was in the living quarters, the door slide silently shut behind him. "Can I help you?" Jaster's voice was completely devoid of emotion.  
  
"Just want to meet the neighbor. How long have you been here?"  
  
Jaster stared at him. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Just wondering."  
  
"A few years."  
  
There was silence.  
  
"Where you from, uuuh, Jaster?"  
  
"I don't come from a particular place. I move around too much."  
  
"Until you came here, right?"  
  
Jaster looked at him, then nodded. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Oh, you know, bounty hunters chasing me around."  
  
"Really?" Koult swore that was the first time the man sounding interested in talking to him. "What have you done?"  
  
"Well, nothing yet, but soon Slayva is going to realized I played him false and want my head."  
  
"So your getting clones? That's smart." Jaster stroked his chin, in thought for a while, then returned to the conversation.  
  
"So you have a clone?"  
  
Jaster nodded, which was the truth, he always told the truth, maybe not the full truth, but the truth.  
  
"Does it live with you?"  
  
"Well, there were some problems with the clone," Jaster said, making it sound like the clone was elsewhere.  
  
"Ah," Koult said and nodded, like he really understood, which he thought he did, but he didn't. "Well, I should be going. Anyone else here?"  
  
"No," Jaster said. With a start, he realized with a start that his ship, Slave 1, was on the screen of one of his computers. Quickly, appearing to usher Koult out, he brushed by the control board and quickly shut off the screen. Koult left, leaving Boba to his own thoughts.  
  
What a fool he was for keeping the screen on. He should not have over looked it. On a more important thought, though, had Koult seen it?  
  
  
  
Bum bum buuuuuum!!!!! Did Koult see Slave 1? Will he figure out Boba's identity? Will Boba ever survive fatherhood? Did he know it came with melting his heart and digging out old feelings he thought he had forgotten? Tune in next time and maybe all will be answerd! 


	7. Becoming Dangerous

Disclaimer: well shoot! You make me say it, but I don't want to. Ah well, here I goes: I don't own any one or anything in the Star Wars movies. I do, however, own my very own Obi-Wan action figure. He's had it rough, I'm afraid. He still has frosting in his ear. What?! Never mind.  
  
Chapter 53.5 Heh heh, I mean Chapter 7  
  
Slave I. The name rang inside his head again. Slave I. The man had Slave I on his screen. Maybe he hadn't seen it properly, or maybe it was just a ship that looked like Slave I. No, those thoughts just didn't fit. It had been Slave I. Koult had just made small talk with the most ruthless bounty hunter in the galaxy. He'll kill me if he knows I know. I'll just pretend. His daughter seems nice enough. I'll sell this info, and get a nice sum of credits. That's what I'll do. It'll be nice to have extra credits laying around. I'm sure Boba Fett knows what it's like, with all his high bounties he gets. I'll sell the information.  
  
Koult's mind was made up. He'll sell Boba Fett's whereabouts and that he has a child. A young daughter. A young, helpless daughter.  
  
  
  
Well, at the moment, Joad didn't exactly seem helpless. She held the training blaster in front of her and took careful aim. On the corner of her mouth a tip of her tongue could be seen, her small face wrinkled in concentration.  
  
"Don't concentrate that hard, Joad. You're going to hurt yourself if you do that too much."  
  
Joad let her concentration slip, but as she did, the training blaster slipped as well, and when she fired, the bolt went low but bounced off the floor and hit the bulls-eye. Joad grinned up innocently at her father.  
  
"I meant to do that."  
  
Boba smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Sure Joad, sure. Now, when you let your concentration slip, don't let the blaster slip, watch." Boba took the training blaster from Joad and took aim, but didn't show any wrinkle of concentration in his scared face. When he pulled the trigger, he didn't even flinch when the energy bolt shot home and hit the bulls-eye. "Now, you try."  
  
Joad had seen her father 'keep in practice' as he would say with his own, real, blaster. She had always watched, even though she was not required too. He held it easily, as if embracing an old friend. It became him. Sometimes she even thought that the blaster didn't become him, but he became the blaster. It was an odd feeling, that one. It was like her father was a living weapon and he deserved to be else where, not here, caring for a daughter. And she would cower in his shadow for minutes until the feeling passed.  
  
She pulled the blaster up so she could aim. Her father had already gotten her stance satisfactory, at least at this age. She aimed, but tried to mimic her father's feeling of ease with a blaster. When she pulled the trigger, her eyes closed on their own as the energy bolt rocketed toward the target. It hit two rings away from the bulls-eye. Joad sighed in frustration.  
  
"Daddy, will I ever get it?"  
  
"Of course you will, just practice everyday. But that's enough for today, your getting better and you've improved a lot. I'm very proud of you."  
  
  
  
Joad wandered the halls, wondering what to do. Her tiny legs working themselves and her eyes darting around with hidden curiosity. Joad's mind and speech were that of an older child, but not too much older, her father having taut her to act like she is doing one thing, but really doing another. That is useful when gathering information, he'd said. Joad didn't know what information was, but it sounded important.  
  
She looked out one of the glass sides of the hall out into the massive cloning factory. Only one machine worked to create two clones, for that man who her daddy said not to talk to. Where was daddy's clone? Why were they there? She did not know, nor was she too interested.  
  
She heard footsteps ringing dully down the hall toward her. They were not the light swish of the natives or the stalking steps of her father, so it must be that other man. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw, to her satisfaction, that is was that man. He walks so noisily you could shoot him in the dark, her father had said to her once. Not that he would she had assumed. He would never do something like that, she thought.  
  
"Hello there, little girl. Are you looking at my clones?"  
  
Joad nodded and looked at him and back to the clone making machines. "They don't look like you."  
  
He laughed. Joad did not like his laugh. "Of course not! They will when they're grown up." He smiled down at her. Joad did not like his smile either. "Can you tell me something?"  
  
"Meybe," she said. She had heard her father say that to her, and, though she didn't really know what it meant, she knew it was used in situations like this.  
  
His smile stay plastered to his face. "Why is you father here? Is he getting a clone?"  
  
"Why should I tell you? If I knew, I wouldn't tell you. I shouldn't be talking wit you. Daddy said not to tell you anything."  
  
"Ok then. But wait," he called when Joad turned to walk away. "Who is your mother?"  
  
Joad looked at him in confusion. Her eyes drifted above his head as if in thought, but then snapped back at him. She opened her mouth to reply when suddenly Koult was grabbed from behind and roughly twisted around to come face to face with Joad's father, supposedly Boba Fett.  
  
"Stay away from her, Koult. If you nose too much into things that aren't your business, you could get hurt. I thought everyone in the galaxy knew this by now."  
  
Koult was lifted off his feet and then thrown to the ground. He heard Joad gasp in surprise and horror. Boba stepped over him and picked up Joad, a lot more gently than when he picked up Koult. Boba whispered something in her ear and she smiled at him. It was obvious her father was instantly forgiven for violent behavior. When they were gone Koult got to his feet and walked down the hall to see how his clones were doing. The situation was getting far more dangerous.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
There! Another chapter! I finished! YAY!!!! Oh, and now, things will be going even slower (yes, it might be possible) because school is starting today. I'M ON TOP OF THE SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!! Well, now I can go to band and everything will be just fine! At least I have no reason to be bored now. I deeply apologize for my lateness!!!! Please forgive me! 


	8. Silhouette

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN STAR WARS!!!!! What do you people want from me!?  
  
Thank you very much Rainy and Lightbulb for staying with me. Thank you very much. And thank you very much everyone else who has reviewed at least once or twice or many times, and then given up from my slowness. I'm SORRY! I try and crank them out, but things get in the way, like sibling, friends, soccer, school and homework and and and.. Well, I'm working on it! Thanks again for reviewing! THANK YOU!!! It's one of the things that keeps me at it. You guys are such great motives!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Koult sat awake late in the night. He waited, staring at a little, blank holoscreen and as he waited he rubbed painfully at a spot where on of the reviewers had hit him. It would not be black for long, he was sure.  
  
Sure enough, just a few minutes later a fat, crocked face of a Hutt appeared and scowled up at him.  
  
"It better be good, Koult. You got a lot of nerve contacting me again."  
  
"Relax Janda, I got some really valuable information that would interest a lot of creatures out there. You are lucky I decided to contact you first."  
  
"What is it then?"  
  
"Well, lets just say I've heard from Boba Fett."  
  
Janda's crocked eyes wided a fraction of a centimeder. "You mean you know where he is?"  
  
"Yes, and I have information on how to control him without pay. Blackmail. Blackmail is what I'm talking about here Janda."  
  
"What is this!?" the female Hutt cried in outrage. "Some kind of hoax? You can't blackmail Boba Fett! That's.impossible!"  
  
"No Janda, it's not." Koult kept his voice calm and level, determined to come out with a large sum of credits. He paused and looked like it was nothing much. "But if you don't want it, I could sell it to someone else. There are plenty of people out there who would pay a lovely sum of credits for this." He moved his hand casually toward the disconnect button, but was stopped.  
  
"How much, I'm willing to bargain."  
  
Koult grinned wolfishly. "Now this is talk I like."  
  
  
  
Joad tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She heard her father enter the room. He sat down on the bed, and gently took her hand in his.  
  
"You can't sleep either?"  
  
"No daddy."  
  
"Nightmares?"  
  
"No, I jus' can't seep." Joad could see her father smile in the darkness, but it almost seemed sad.  
  
"Let me show you something, come with me." It was not like she had any choice. He picked her up and carried her out to the living room. "Sit here and wait."  
  
She sat patiently, a trick Boba had taught her, saying that it was a very valuable skill. He went over to the closet and pushed a sequence of numbers to get in. Joad had never seen the interior of the closet.  
  
"Tell me what you think of this." He grabbed something out of the closet and held it at an angle so she couldn't see it. He walked over to her, and she smiled up at him. Why was he so serious looking? "When you were a little girl, you saw this, and didn't like it. You were terrified of it. What do you think of it now?" Around he brought a strange object. Joad stared at it for a second before she realized what it was.  
  
It was the things from her nightmares. He had haunted her in her sleep for years and she had never known what it was. She opened her mouth in terror without making a sound. For a few seconds, all was silent, and then Joad retched out a trembling hand and touched the helmet with the tip of her finger, and jolted her hand back as if it had burned her. She retched out again and touched it longer and then looked up at her father and smiled.  
  
"It not so scary anymore."  
  
Boba's serious face lifted and he grinned at her. She placed her miniature hand on it then reached out of it. Boba gently put the helmet in her lap and sat in a chair across the room to watched her play with it.  
  
She tapped it with her fingers and ran her hands over the scares and dents of it. She traced the T over and over.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's a helmet. You put it on your head, like this." He walked over and retrieved it from her and placed it on his head. She giggled, and smiled up at him.  
  
Boba was relieved that she liked it now, so relieved, in fact, he leaned down and picked up Joad and did a sort of Waltz thing across the room. It was the first time he had ever done anything remotely like dancing in his whole entire being. The room was filled with Joad's giggling laughter and a lower chuckle, Boba's laughter; the sound bounced back at them from every wall, making a wonderful effect and making it about the most happiest moment of both their lives.  
  
  
  
"Look daddy!" Boba looked up as Joad entered the living room, his helmet looking huge on her small frame. Since two nights ago, she had hardly been able to stop asking questions about the helmet. Boba had told her very seriously that she must never talk of it around anyone, or bring it anywhere without him saying it was ok first. She teetered dangerously and fell over with a loud "Oof!". Boba smile and continued with his work (whatever he's working on.).  
  
From where the he couldn't see or hear, the door slide silently open. A figure stood silhouetted against the light of the hall. Joad, however, could see the silhouette quite clearly and she had never seen one like this before.  
  
  
  
Bum bum buuuuum! See? I'm getting faster! YAY! And as I hope you all know, I love to leave you guys hanging. If you didn't, know you know! Heh heh. Review please! 


	9. Fall of The Angel

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Star Wars. Just in case anyone didn't know that by now.  
  
Thank you SO much for all the reviews! I enjoy reading them and it makes me want to write more. *Sniff* I'm sorry, I just get so emotional! Joking. But thanks so much!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Joad stared at the figure in the doorway, completely perplexed. Se was on her side from where she had fallen. That was interesting looking person. She struggled to her feet and looked again. Oh, no, she was wrong. It wasn't a person, it was Tuan We. She giggled. She hadn't seen Tuan We in a while. Kaminoans looked so strange sideways!  
  
Tuan We entered the room much like an angel would, seeming to glide just above the ground. Boba looked up and nodded to her in greeting.  
  
"Boba, I have just come to inform you that something is happening inside your ship."  
  
Boba stood abruptly. "What?"  
  
"We think that someone is trying to contact you, but we are not sure. Lacking the access codes to the interior of Slave I, we thought it best to come and tell you."  
  
Boba was already opening the closet and preparing his gear. If someone was contacting him, he wanted to appear in full armor, and if something was wrong, he wanted to be prepared.  
  
"Daddy, can I come?"  
  
"No Joad, you will stay here, do you understand?" He pointed at the ground for empathies. "Stay here."  
  
Joad nodded and looked at her toes. Her father looked so different with all this stuff on. What was he doing? But before she could ask, he was gone, out the door and walking briskly down the hall. Joad looked at Tuan We, who promptly looked back.  
  
  
  
Boba opened the hatch to Slave I. He felt at home again, in familiar walls. He treasured this feeling for only a second before he moved up to the cockpit to see what the trouble was. he was in tune with his ship half way up the ladder and already communicating. Someone was trying to contact him. That someone was Janda the Hutt, a distant relative of the deceased Jabba the Hutt. She was a proud owner of a spice mining operation on the planet 287Nic that was rapidly growing. She was both rich and powerful on Nal Hutta, and someone Boba didn't want to meddle with now.  
  
But he was a bounty hunter and he hadn't exactly retired yet. He checked his armor on last time before flicking the switch to make contact.  
  
"Boba Fett, what took you so long? I was beginning to get impatient."  
  
Boba's voice amplifiers kicked in as he began to talk, making his voice the same as ever when he was working, cold and rusty. "I was a bit busy."  
  
"Still active then, Fett?" When Boba didn't reply to this, Janda carried on. "Good, because I have a job for you. It pays well. Six hundred million credits for you Fett, that well in your price range isn't it?"  
  
Boba didn't flicker an eyebrow under his helmet. "Continue, I'm listening."  
  
Boba wasn't greedy, he just thought that maybe a few more credits wouldn't hurt, especially if he wanted to get the newest weapons on the black market. Janda grinned, thinking she had already won.  
  
"Well, it's one of my former clients. He is refusing to pay up. Can you believe it? Refusing to pay me the credits that are rightfully mine. He name is Mughan Jonon. Human, bald, short, fat, you know the drill. The information is being sent right now."  
  
Sure enough, the screen right in front of Boba lit up with bright green words and symbols and pictures of the man at all angles.  
  
"What do you think Boba? Take it, or I give it to some other greedy bounty hunter."  
  
Boba needed to get back into the hunt. He needed to. It had been bugging him for quite some time now. He needed to get out there, and six hundred million credits was a good deal for just one man. Janda was probably spending more on this bounty that what Mughan needed to pay her times two. Something was up, but then again, something was always up with Hutts. The stupidity that they show outside was just a cover. They were really smart and clever and could catch almost any scheme behind their back, and foil it by saying just a few words and waving a tiny hand. Boba was determined not to fall for anything whenever he worked with Hutts.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Good, and Fett, I want him alive and well. Have him to me in two Standard Galactic Weeks, got that? No less."  
  
Fett nodded and cut the connection.  
  
  
  
"Where are you going daddy?"  
  
"I'll just be gone for a while. I'm going away. You'll understand when your older."  
  
"Tell me now!"  
  
"No. Tuan We will look after you, be good and eat your peas."  
  
"But I don't like my peas."  
  
"Eat them anyway."  
  
"Ok. When will you be back."  
  
"Just in two weeks."  
  
Pause, pause.  
  
"Is that a long time?"  
  
"Not too long."  
  
"Ok. Bye daddy, I love you."  
  
"I love you too, I'll be back."  
  
There were sounds of Boba leaving and of Joad giving off a few muffled sobs, then all was quiet.  
  
Koult sat back and stared at the speaker that had let him listen in on the leaving of the Fett. The bounty hunter Bossk sat behind him and a negotiator sat to the left. Koult looked at the negotiator.  
  
"Nothing will tie back to me?"  
  
"Nothing," the negotiator assured. "Fett will be too busy running errands for Janda that he won't have time to think about how all this came about. He's smart enough to realize that something like this would have to stop being a secret sometime. Nothing will go wrong in this plan unless," he threw a disgusted look over his shoulder at Bossk with two of his many eyes, "unless the bounty hunter screws up. "Remember Bossk, don't harm the kid. If one hair is out of place on the girl's head when you bring her to Janda, she will have your hide on the wall for a decoration."  
  
"Understood." Bossk snarled, then all three were silent as they listened to Slave I lift off and leave the planet of Kamino. They sat still for what seemed like hours, but was only ten minutes before Bossk hoisted his blaster and walked out of the room, what could hardly be identified as a smile on his lipless mouth. Bossk was going enjoy this. He had always waited for a chance ruin Fett, humiliate him, get the better of him. Today was his day. It was the next best thing to killing him. Bossk snickered delightedly. Too bad he wouldn't be able to harm the girl, but the credits on the other end were enough to smother his constant anger for a minute with greed. He strode down the hall and paused at the corner and watched an old Kaminoan leave the room. the old one nodded in to the doorway and then said something to someone inside the door, no doubt not to let anyone she didn't know in. Then the old one closed the door and walked down the hall and away.  
  
Bossk walked up to the door and tried the button to open the door. The door did not open, but instead a chime sounded in the room. the sound of small feet approached the door; Bossk had just enough time to duck away when a little screen in the door appeared and Joad looked out. She was perplexed when she didn't see anybody and so the screen closed and the door slide open. Joad stepped out and saw Bossk immediately. Being only a child, she didn't exactly know what to do, but being a Fett child, she had an idea. She made a move to run back into the living quarters, but Bossk was far to quick for her.  
  
"Let me go you big ugly.um.. Let me go!" Joad screamed wildly and bounded her tiny fists on Bossk's arm. It had no affect whatsoever on him, but Tuan We and a younger Kaminoan did come running down the hall.  
  
"Stop!" Tuan We shouted and strated running down the hall. "Can anyone picture a Kaminoan shouting and running? I can't, it doesn't seem like something they'd do.) The younger one raced after her. With one careless move, Bossk lifted his blaster and fired. Tuan We crumpled and the younger one skidded to a stop next to the fallen Kaminoan.  
  
Joad screamed in horror, but to her, it had seemed that Tuan We was angelic to the end. By this time other Kaminoans were showing up, but none seemed to resist. It was easy for Bossk to blast away any that apposed him. Soon, Bossk's ship had left the atmosphere and was well on the way to Nal Hutta, were he was to give Joad, unharmed, to Janda, who would then blackmail Fett into working for free. Bossk smiled, but he didn't know what would come of it next.  
  
  
  
  
  
Woo hoo! More insane madness. Well, ok, so it hasn't been that insane, just wait till what I have in store for the next chapter!! Sorry Tuan We died by the way, I had to make it dramatic. 


	10. Escape!

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN STAR WARS!!!!!! I wish I did, but noooooooooo, I don't! leave me alone! Must I continue to repeat this?  
  
Well, sorry I had to leave you handing. Boba is going to be pissed! : ) Wasn't me, I just write the thing!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Slave I shot out of hyperspace above Nal Hutta. He was early, so he set Slave I into a orbit around the planet. Janda had specifically stated that she didn't want the bounty early because she had to prepare for her "guest". Boba found that quite barbaric, as he had often describe Jabba in his mind, and a waste of money for them, but it was all the better for him. He sat back in his chair and let his mind drift, a bad habit he had gotten used to. He wondered what Joad was doing right now..  
  
  
  
"Let me go you bad lizard! Let me go! Put me down!" Joad let out a stifled sob as the horrible bounty hunter Bossk carried her to his ship. She had kicked, screamed, pounded and scratched, but it all had only succeeded in getting her in a more uncomfortable position. She felt dizzy with all the blood rushing to her head, and she was turning red, just didn't know it.  
  
Bossk did put her down, right into a holding cage. It was filthy and had traces of blood and other bodily fluids and in smelled rancid, as you can imagine. Joad made a face at Bossk, partly because she hated him, and partly from the smell.  
  
"Stay there little Fett, until we arrive. Then you can see your daddy." He sneered at her, kicking the bars for effect. He turned and left the young Fett all alone, which would not be a good idea, but he didn't know that.  
  
He was in hyperspace by the time he thought to look at the monitor to see how the brat was doing. He had dismissed her as such little threat, he hadn't even bothered to give the size of cage he threw her in a thought. Well, when he looked, his eyes bulged. He panned the camera to see if she was in the room then quickly yanked the ship out of hyperspace. He found himself staring at the massive planet of Coruscant. He should land and search the ship. It would be best. He needed this bounty.  
  
He got permission after a brief quarrel with the air control, he landed on a platform in the middle section of the planet. Not a bad place, but nothing like the upper levels. Bossk grumbled and threw a few boxes to the floor. Where was that Fett? How smart could she be? She was only about 5 or so.  
  
A calm, clear voice rang out over the ship: "Opening hatch."  
  
"WHAT?!" Bossk bellowed. He hadn't ordered the hatch to open. That was impossible.unless that Fett girl was smarted than he had first thought. 'Never underestimate your enemy.' His father's words came back and mocked him and he pounded down the corridor. The hatch was closing by the time he got there and it took only minutes, though it seemed like hours, for it to open. By the time Bossk got out, his merchandise was nowhere in sight. Bossk clawed his face in fury and howled to the murky sky.  
  
  
  
Joad sprinted through the legs and feet of various creatures and people. She was small, so out of their sight. No one paid attention to her, giving her one swift glance, check their credits, and cast her out of their minds, thinking she was a tiny street girl, looking for pockets to pick. Joad paused a second and looked around, looking for a nice looking leg, someone who might give her a ride home then continued running. She didn't really know about the galaxy, as you can tell. She wandered into the upper section of the one city planet.  
  
She had no idea how much distance she had put between herself and Bossk, and she didn't really care. And she certainly had no intention to stop, if it had been her choice at all. She looked over her shoulder, just incase Bossk had started to catch up. When suddenly, BAM! She smacked into something fuzzy, tall, and hard. She fell to the ground, dazed and looked to see what she ran into.  
  
  
  
HAHAHA! There! I'm finished! With the chapter, not the story! Sorry folks, I got a bad case of writers block. It brought two of my stories to a horrible halt! I'm sorry. : ( well, that wasn't were I wanted to end the chapter, but I have to post something soon! 


	11. Oh, Hello There!

Disclaimer: me no own Star Wars. Ugh.  
  
Thank you all for the reviews. I try and hurry up, the government has a giant conspiracy to smother out the lives of the students with mass amounts of homework. Break our backs, but the word "freedom" out of our minds.but that's MY point of view. Sorry if I offend. It's all about point of view and freedom of speech.. Yeaaaaaah. Anywho, Joad and the solo twins are about the same age. Heh, best friends eh? Sounds good.  
  
  
  
Joad looked up and found her staring at a HUGE creature covered in brown fur and was staring down at her confusedly. Joad pulled herself up to her feet, trying to compose herself. Her legs shook in fear, but not for the furry thing, but for Bossk. She looked over her shoulder worriedly, but couldn't see the wrathful lizard coming.  
  
"Roooooooaaaaaar?"  
  
Joad looked up and saw the furry creature looking down at her. She backed up a bit, right into someone else's legs.  
  
"Chewie! Don't scare her!" Joad turned around and a man crouched down and looked at her. He didn't look anything like her daddy, her daddy was much handsomer. "Hello there little girl. Where's your mommy and daddy?"  
  
"My daddy left and someone took me away."  
  
"Ok, um. Where do you live?"  
  
Joad looked around, scrunching her face up as she, for the first time, notices her surroundings. "Not here."  
  
Han looked around. "What sector?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Y'know. Like Sector 12, level 13?" He paused and looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Noooo." Joad looked around. "This doesn't even look like home, not at all."  
  
Han did a double take. "You mean you another planet?!" he asked in disbelief. "No, your probably just in the wrong sector. Right?"  
  
Joad shook her head no. "My planet had a LOT of water and it rains a lot too. This doesn't look like it.."  
  
Han and Chewie stared at her for a second, until a lady came and waved in Han's face.  
  
"Han? Come on, we need to.. Who is this Han? Hello little girl." The lady- who's flawless face was crowned with a mass of hair, done up in buns on the side, that looked like if you didn't practice walking around, you could get top heavy and fall over- smiled down at her.  
  
"Um, well, that's a good question. She's not from Coruscant, she says. A rainy wet planet."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
Joad looked around a second, as if thinking. "Um, daddy told me not to tell strangers."  
  
"Well," the lady said, "My name is Senator Princess Leia Organa Solo, and this is my husband Han Solo and his friend Chewbacca, but we call him Chewie. Now we're not strangers and you can tell us your name." Princess Leia smiled so warmly that Joad could do nothing but go along for the ride. She made a valiant effort in staying put though.  
  
Joad thought, and thought, but her eyes drifted back to the smile again and again. It was so warm and friendly. "Well, ok. My name is Joad."  
  
"Do you have a last name dear?"  
  
Joad did some quick thinking. "It's Ttef."  
  
"Joad Ttef. What a charming name! I have two children just you age! Is you daddy here?"  
  
"I don't think so. He left and then this mean, ugly lizard came and took me away and he," sniff, "killed Tuan We!"  
  
"Oh dear!" Leia looked genuinely horrified and Han just stiffened and looked around uneasily.  
  
"I got away from him though! He was stu-upid! He put me in a cage too big for me and got out through the bars. My daddy has some cages like those in HIS ship, but they were a LOT cleaner!"  
  
At this Leia put her hand over her mouth and Han looked even more uncomfortable and Chewie growled and looked around menacingly. "Um, ok. Lets take you home and you can stay at our house for a bit until your daddy finds us."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Just a minute sweaty," Han said and she whispered in Chewie's ear to keep an eye out for Bossk as he dragged his wife a ways away and whispered to her loudly. "What are you doing?! This little girl (if that's what she really is,) has Bossk after her and has a bounty hunter for a father! And you're saying, we're going to just let her come over to our house, mingle with our children and have access to our belongings?! I think not!"  
  
"Han! How do you know all these things? Bossk could be after because someone kidnapped her and her family wants her back. And how could she not be a cute, innocent girl? Her father isn't necessarily a bounty hunter, he might be a animal transporter, or something else that involves cages in the cargo hold. And she will not have access to all our things! Han, how could you even think to leave a little girl out here!?"  
  
"I have the right to think like that! She could be a changeling, or a, a, a...Oh, alright, nothing else really. Oh, wait! A pickpocket!"  
  
Leia rolled her eyes at him and he waved his arms, opening and closing his mouth. He looked like a fish out of water. Leia giggled and tweaked his cheek.  
  
"Everything will be fine, trust me."  
  
"I hate it when you say that"  
  
Leia walked over to Load and took her hand. "Come on Joad, you're going to come live with us for a while, until your daddy finds us. Is that ok?"  
  
Joad nodded, quite content. Leia looked as happy as ever and Chewie didn't find much wrong with it, agreeing with Leia about all the things that could explain Joad's strange descriptions. Everyone else was perfectly happy, and no doubt Jana and Jacen would be too.  
  
So why did Han have an uneasy feeling about it and chills went up his spine whenever he set eyes on the girl? Was it him, or was there something seriously wrong with this girl?  
  
  
  
HA! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Another chapter! I'm on a roll.not really. : ) I hope you like. I have fun and very exciting ideas for the future! This will be fun! *Wicked laugh, wicked laugh, wicked laugh!* 


	12. I know you're waiting for something

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in ANY of the Star Wars books or movies, but Joad is mine! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!  
  
Sorry, slow. Ug. Very sorry folks.  
  
  
  
Joad looked out the window of the air taxi, but was pulled back by Han. She had never rode in one of these, and she was curious, so she pulled a move on him. She twisted in his grip and bit him.  
  
"Ah! She bit me!"  
  
"Let her look out the window then dear."  
  
"But, but, but-!"  
  
"Not like who ever is hunting her would come right into our house."  
  
"Fett would, and will if he wants too." Han mumbled.  
  
Han looked at Joad again and found her staring at him with large, dark bottomless eyes. He looked away, and she returned looking out of the window at the vast city.  
  
What is with this girl? he thought. She just doesn't make sense.  
  
Chewie grunted in his ear.  
  
"You're right Chewie," Han whispered back, "I have funny feeling about this one." For a moment they looked at Joad and were extremely confused. But then the speeder slowed and they got out in front of a tall building. Joad looked up at it amazed. She had never seen a building so tall.  
  
"Joad, this will be your home until we find your daddy. Lets go up."  
  
Joad nodded affirmative and they headed into the grand lobby. It was big, but not as big as the cloning room.  
  
"Now, isn't this just the biggest room you've seen?" said Han looking around and smiling like an idiot. He had never really taken the time to actually look around. He looked down at Joad, expecting wonder and amazement, but found a blank stare. He stopped smiling and nudged Leia.  
  
"I've seen bigger, though it was more crowded with stuff." And she headed off towards to elevator. Leia and Han exchanged worried glances and Chewie pondered about the strange smell had smelled around this girl. it was somehow, oh he didn't know. Like he had smelled it briefly before a few times.  
  
"Chewie, you in there?"  
  
They all stepped on the cool advanced elevator and Leia told what buttons Joad to bush and they were away. Han had to hold Joad back so she wouldn't push more.  
  
"Mom! Dad!" as soon as the elevator opened on the floor, two missiles darted into the elevator and slammed into Han and Leia. Joad watched as Leia and Han hugged and kissed their children. Oh sure, her father had hugged and kissed her too, just not so much, and not so publicly. She found it quite disgusting and something that should be kept private. She had also never seen it done to someone else before.  
  
"Kids," Leia said after she was done, "this is Joad, she will be staying with us until we find her daddy."  
  
Jacen hung back, but Jania hopped forward and started jabbering. They were almost immediate friends.  
  
  
  
Boba, despite himself, was getting impatient. He stared at the blubbering Janda, and rolled his eyes in his helmet. She was waiting for something, it was obvious. He had given her twenty-four hours to get ready, and she still wasn't ready.  
  
He cut her off. "Janda, I am coming down now, and I expect to be paid when I get there. No more excuses. I have other clients to attend to." He meant his daughter, but she didn't know about her. Fett cut the connection and sat up. Or did she? Was the Hutt waiting for someone to deliver Joad? To force Fett into working for her without fee? He would be a slave. But, if that was what she was planning at all, she obviously didn't have her yet, unless it was all a trick and she did have her. But then, how could she know about her at all? Koult, of coarse. But he wouldn't dare, would he? Yes, the greedy maggot would do anything to get his hands on some credits. But no, that couldn't wouldn't happen. Boba was almost sure of it. Boba headed toward the planet, shields up, ready for anything.  
  
  
  
"Were is she!?" Janda roared at Bossk.  
  
"She got away on Corusuant, but I'll find her."  
  
"You'd better, because Fett is coming down to the planet now. I can only hold him for so long. This is a once in a life time chance Bossk, don't let me down."  
  
  
  
Boba sat back. Yes, he was ready, ready for anything Janda could throw at him. He was standing in Janda's quarters. Armed guards stood at the door way, inside the room and out. More stood in the room, blaster rifles at the ready. Boba held the struggling merchandise by the hands, which were twisted up behind the back and making it very painful to struggle.  
  
"You will pay me the amount you offered in the beginning."  
  
Janda fidgeted on her huge dais. "Couldn't we negotiate a bit?"  
  
Boba thrust the struggling figure in front of him so he could step closer. "I know your waiting for something, Janda." He whispered hoarsely in her face. "But I don't expect to be here when that thing arrives. I want my credits for this bounty now."  
  
Janda whimpered, cascading praise upon the bounty hunter, but her stood stubborn, and finally she complied. She heaved a huge sigh as to credits were exchanged for the bounty.  
  
Boba turned to go, but Janda called out to him. "You were right Fett, I was waiting for something, and you will be well away from here when it arrives. It will work out, you will see." And the Hutt crackled with insanity.  
  
  
  
As soon as Slave I landed in the docking bay, Fett could tell there was something wrong. He had a gut feeling. He went in minus the armor and met a young, sad looking Kaminoean. She told him in a whispering voice that Tuan We was dead, and that Joad was gone. What Janda had said clicked into place now and, keeping his face mutual, he asked if Koult was still here. The Kaminoean nodded, then left.  
  
Boba went out to his ship, dawned his armor, and strode down the hall to Koult's room. He didn't even bother to knock. He blasted to door down and stepped over the charred remains. There was silence in the room. Boba stood there, stock still, waiting. Koult's firing came from no where, but Boba remained unimpressed with Koult's fighting ability. Even if he hadn't leapt away, he would not have been even charred. He waited again, in a new position, watching the place where the firing had come from.  
  
"I know your there, Fett. Just come out and I won't hurt you." said a weak voice. Boba could have laughed out loud, if he ever did such a thing without Joad. Hadn't enough people tried that? Wasn't anyone getting the message? He didn't surrender, they did. A mirror was raise above a hiding spot and it moved around to survey the surroundings. The mirror moved off him, and he moved very slowly and fired a shot at the hand. There was a scream of pain and the mirror smashed on the floor.  
  
Koult felt sweat dripping down his forehead. This sort of thing had happened before. He had been pinned down by Fett, but this time it was personal and Fett's blaster wasn't set to stun. There was movement, and Koult looked up and found himself staring at the barrel of a blaster, and behind that, a Mandalorian battle helmet. That was the last sight he ever saw.  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued.... 


	13. Vacation Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, what more do you want from me?!  
  
Thank you! Thank you all for the reviews!  
  
  
  
Boba staggered out of the room; his mind on overload. He had killed in anger. Had he even done that before? His father had told, drilled it into his mind, that to kill in anger was a sign of weakness. His legs almost gave out under him, but he quickly got a hold of himself. A few Kaminoeans were hovering outside, there bottomless eyes staring at him without compassion. Tuan We was the only cloner that Boba had ever known to have at least a little compassion. He straightened himself and pushed past them and back out into the rain. He needed to find Joad, and he needed to find her faster than anyone else.  
  
  
  
Janda was in a very bad mood. Bossk was standing before her, his hologram image flickering.  
  
"You can't find one little girl?! How did she get away from you in the first place?! Stupid bounty hunter!"  
  
Bossk growled, anger swelling. It hadn't been his fault. Janda was taking this way to seriously. "I will find her. Has he already come or something?" he sneered.  
  
"He's already left! Fool! He'll be on your trail within hours! I - need - that - girl!!"  
  
  
  
Joad woke early the next morning, her usually waking time. When she realized that no one else was awake, she went and sat at the dinning room table for half an hour. She got really bored and almost nodded off once of twice. Then she had an idea! She hopped up from her chair and waltzed over to the kitchen. There she set to work.  
  
Leia slid out of bed and roused Han. Then she took a shower and got dressed. And roused Han again. (Han: Uuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnghhhh *scratch scratch*) It was the usual morning routine. She went out into the hall and walked towards the dinning room, ready to begin breakfast when the smell of burning reached her. She stopped mid-step and sniffed again. Sure enough, there was smoke in the air. She ran down stairs, and paused in the dinning room for a second before running to the kitchen. Inside, the kitchen was a mess. There were a few eggs dropped on the floor and a small cloud of smoke rising from the toaster. A larger cloud was rising from a pan sitting on the stove.  
  
"What's going on here?!" she yelled.  
  
"Oh, hello Mrs. Solo," Joad said pleasantly. "I'm cooking breakfast, go sit down." And with that, Joad pushed her out the door and sat her in a chair. Leia sat, staring ahead, waiting. Han came down, yawning and scratching and stopped when he saw Leia.  
  
"Um, hon? What's wrong?"  
  
"Joad's cooking breakfast." Leia stated, staring straight ahead.  
  
Han sniffed the air. "Oh, that's what it was," and sat down too. Suddenly he leapt up like he seat was on fire. "Cooking breakfast?!"  
  
The door to the kitchen opened and Joad marched out and looked at the table. "My, you people sleep in! Go wake everyone else up!" Leia smiled and looked at Joad.  
  
"Um Joad dear, I don't know what time you get up where you live, but here, Jacen and Jania don't usually get up this early." Just then Jacen and Jania came bouncing down the stairs up and early, looking bright and excited.  
  
"Hi Joad!"  
  
"Hi Jania! Come have breakfast! I cooked it! Just like my daddy cooks!" and she then marched right back into the kitchen and came out with a pan that was still smoking slightly. "Eggs!" she said happily. "My daddy cooks like this, but I think mine are better."  
  
Leia and Han leaned over and looked at the black crisp at the bottom of the pan.  
  
"Your father cooks like this?"  
  
"Yeah, but sometimes he orders take out!" Joad beamed at them.  
  
Leia was tempted to say 'how did you survive' but resisted. Not wanting to hurt Joad's feelings, she dished herself some and Han followed suite, though unwillingly.  
  
After a three serving breakfast, Leia felt too sick to go to the Senate. She really needed a vacation. She applied for a Standard Galactic Two Week vacation and had it quickly granted to her. She smiled from where she lay on the couch as she dreamed of their vacation house on Naboo.  
  
It was a beautiful two-story dream mansion. It had a terrace and a beautiful garden with plenty of walks in the front and back yards. Beautiful bay windows over looking a lake with cushioned seats. Cozy nooks for prefect reading littered the downstairs and the library. There was a study where she could do work, a door with a coded lock were she could hide from people, and boats where she could escape out into the lake, away from the kids. She smile again, thankful for the peaceful planet, and fell asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Slow, very slow, so sorry. 


	14. War and um, something else

Disclaimer: I don't own star wars..but I DO own Joad! Hahahaha!  
  
I love the reviews! Anytime I don't feel like writing, I just read your reviews and BAM! I WANT to write! You people make me laugh. Thank you for being to enthusiastic! I hurry, I really do!  
  
  
  
Naboo. A beautiful, peaceful planet. There was a soft silence that was only cut into when a ship landed far off. It returned, and ruled over all. A sleepy day was a good day for this planet. But then:  
  
"YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Joad leapt out of her hiding spot and tackled Jania. They rolled around for a bit, before getting up, laughing. They ran away from each other again, and Joad, again was the first to find Jania and the course repeated. Finally, the girls got tired of the game, and agreed to go stalk Jacen.  
  
The girls were so energetic because the sun had finally come out. The first day of their vacation and part of that day, had been rainy, and both Jania and Joad were covered in mud, making perfect camo to attack Jacen. They found him in the huge back garden, by one of the little brooks under some miniature weeping willow like trees. Sunlight danced upon his features as he tried to meditate, but found himself far more interested in the stream and he settled with that. He was very unaware of the attack coming.  
  
With war whoops and howls, the girls descended, pushing Jacen into the brook. A mini war followed in which there were flying crab apple things and pear things and Joad displayed amazing reflexes and aim that even she did not know she possessed. None of them thought too much on it.  
  
  
  
Leia frowned when she looked out the window.  
  
"Han, do you really think that's good for them to be having mock battles?" she asked Han as she watched Joad peg Jacen in the leg.  
  
"Course it is! Why, I had a lot of things like that in the streets of Corillia! Except they weren't play, they were real! Why, I remember a kid lost an eye!" he said. "Some worse." He muttered so Leia couldn't hear.  
  
"They might loss eyes out there the way they're throwing! And Joad has a disadvantage, not being force sensitive."  
  
"Sure she's not force sensitive, but it doesn't look like she has a disadvantage." Han commented, stepping up beside Leia. Joad dived out of the way as a wave of crap apple things was launch toward her, but it wasn't under very much control. She snatched two off the ground and threw one at Jania, who had her back turned and it hit her under the knee and then the other at Jacen. The mini war went deeper into the garden and was soon out of sight of the window.  
  
  
  
"Janda, I don't have time for games. Tell me who you sent out to get her."  
  
Janda cringed under the stare of Boba Fett.  
  
"I-I don't know what you're talking about Fett."  
  
"If your going to lie to people, then I suggest you get better. Tell me."  
  
"N-now now, lets not be too hasty here."  
  
Boba was distracted by a blinking light. One of his informants was calling. He let the connection with Janda die, leaving the frantic Hutt hysterical, and put on his informant.  
  
"It was Bossk."  
  
Boba nodded slowly and put some credits into the informant's account. The creature grinned greedily and continued.  
  
"He disappeared enroot near Coruscant. There were witnesses who saw a young girl slip off of his ship and into the crowd. She disappeared and Bossk seemed really upset and went out to find her. That's all I got."  
  
Boba nodded slowly again and submitted more into it's account, causing the ugly Twi'lek to grin wider. Boba waited.  
  
"Rumor has it that she was seen with the Solos later on that day." The Twi'lek had run dry. He knew that when he retched the word "rumor" and had no more facts left, the interview was over.  
  
Boba cut the connection and leaned back in his chair. Bossk eh? Well, it was the most likely bounty hunter to try anything so stupid. Rumor Joad went off with the Solos? That, if true, could prove to be quite interesting.  
  
Yes, very interesting indeed..  
  
  
  
To be continued...... 


	15. Here they come

Disclaimer: I do not own anything I write about, unless it is mine.  
  
HELLO!!!!!! I'm back from the dark abyss of schoolwork. Now I am writing, and now that this is my 15th chapter, I really hope that, as soon as I put this up, I can get past it. In my other story, Mandalorian Mask, (nice title) I was going SO GOOD! But then chapter 15 came up, and I sorta.stopped. I may pick it up again; possibly re-work it.. I don't know, it just wasn't working out so well. I'll try one day.  
  
  
  
Bossk grumbled and growled as he began pulling Hounds Tooth out of hyperspace. It had taken a long time to find out were that @#$% girl had gotten off to. It had required things that Bossk had enjoyed. A.k.a.: killing people painfully and slowly to get information out of them, or just hurting them into submission. He had figured out that the brat was with the Solos. They had left for Naboo to one of their "summer" homes. It was a beautiful place, one of his victims had told him. Bossk grinned. He wondered what it would look like when he was finished with it. Maybe, just for sport, he could kill Han Solo. That sounded fun. The element of surprise was with him.  
  
  
  
Han leaned back in his chair. Life was good, sun was good, food was good, his ship was good, he wife was good, his kids were good, and he was good. Yes, life was good, but more importantly, his ship was better.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud roar. It was the sound of a ship penetrating the atmosphere. It was so close though. Han opened one eye and saw a YV- 666 approaching. He knew that ship. He knew it all too well. It was a bounty hunter's ship called the Hounds Tooth.  
  
Leaping from his chair, he ran inside, yelling for the kids as he went. Joad, Jania and Jacen looked up from their playing at the ship descending on the beautiful front garden. Joad gasped when she recognized it.  
  
"It's him!" she whispered, and scrambled for the door. Jacen and Jania, sensing their father and friend's distress, raced after them.  
  
  
  
Bossk watched at the door slammed, a lock probably being coded at that very second, security devices activated. But nothing would stop Bossk now. He was so close to collecting the bounty he could smell Fett's distress in the air. He would make Fett's life miserable, and then, when both he and Janda were least expecting it, he would turn on them both and kill Fett and his brat. It would be very satisfying.  
  
The ship landed on the prettiest plants and crushed them into the ground. He smiled as he stepped off the ramp, armed to the teeth, ready to kill.  
  
Inside the house, Han rushed to the master bedroom and hastily punched in the code to unlock it. He heard Chewie roar for him to hurry, already having his bow-caster out.  
  
"I'm coming!" he shouted, grabbing the four blasters inside. The thrust one into his holster he had put on and sprinted downstairs with the other three. Leia came down only seconds later, taking the two blasters Han offered to her.  
  
"The kids are safe. Good thing Luke was already on his way here to join us. Do you think Bossk is here for Joad, or," she looked suspiciously at Han, "have you been doing anything you're not supposed to?"  
  
Han gave her an innocent look. "Me? Break rules? Never. He's here for Joad. What did that girl _do_?"  
  
Leia looked out the window and shrugged. "Whatever it was, it couldn't be too bad. She's like, what, 5?"  
  
"At least Fett isn't after her, then we would know that someone wants her real bad and is willing to pay for it."  
  
  
  
But Han was wrong. Boba Fett was looking for Joad. Actually, it was less of a looking and more of a: I'm-coming-to-get-her-and-anyone-who-tries-to- stop-me-will-die sort of thing. He knew where she was, and how to get there fastest. There was only one problem, he couldn't take the direct route. Janda knew that he knew so she would find someone who knew where Joad was, and then someone who knew how to get there the fastest, or possible how to intersect the fastest route. So, he couldn't take the fastest route and come out on that side of the planet. He could come out on the other side, skim the atmosphere and then land near the vacation house.  
  
Or he could just get into a vicious space battle. He hardly needed a second to think about it. There was no sense in running into a space battle. He might not come out of it, and that would hardly do Joad, or himself for that matter, any good. His gloved hands were already flying over the controls, and Slave I shot away into hyperspace.  
  
  
  
To be continued.... 


	16. Attack!

Disclaimer: All that you recognize is not mine.  
  
Last one was short. Sorry.  
  
  
  
"No no! Put me down! No! No!" Joad screamed. She kicked her feet, struggling against the thing that held her. "Chewie!" bellowed Han, "get her out of here!" Chewie roared back an affirmative and continued to struggle with Joad. Joad kicked, but was dragged off to the room where Jacen and Jania waited. It was a safe room, and as soon as Chewie shut the door, it locked fast. Joad frowned at the door, then looked at Jacen and Jania in question. "Dad's really paranoid sometimes," Jacen said, shrugging. "Something about bounty hunters." Jania nodded. "It's ok in here. There's some cool stuff; some of its Force stuff, so I don't think you can use them. But there's some other stuff....." she trailed off, watching Joad pace by the door. Sometimes Joad would lean against the door, straining to hear. "You know, you're a very strange girl." Joad stopped and glared at them. "If HE found me," she waved her arm toward the door, "then my daddy should come soon."  
  
Bossk was now next to the door, crouching beneath the window. In his scaled hand he held a miniature C-22 fragmentation grenade. Carefully setting the controls, he placed it down at the foot of the door, rolling away. There was another one on the other side of the door. He needed enough blast to through the door but he didn't want to kill anyone, just yet.  
  
Leia peered out the window at the same moment Bossk pulled the second grenade from his belt. "Where did that lizard run off to?" she asked, glancing down at her power pack in her blaster and her other packs at her belt. She had learned long ago that it was good to have extra power with you in times like this. "Probably cooking up something bad for us. Step away from the window, he might try to blow the door down." Han took his own advise and moved farther back, pulling Leia gently with him. Chewie growled and sniffed. No sooner had they retreated a few meter into the front hall was the door blown away. They were thrown backwards, though not nearly as hard as they would have been if they were closer. Leia shrieked Han cried out and Chewie roared. Then, as the dust and noise settled and the ringing in their ears began to quiet, they took cover behind a knocked over couch.  
  
A translation droid flew across the room, slamming into the wall, a fountain of sparks erupting from it. Janda was in a rage, smacking anything she could reach or was stupid enough to get into her reach with her massive slug-like tail thing. A timid servant entered the room, but scampered out again when he saw Janda approach him.  
  
"Where is that Bossk!" The hermaphrodite screamed. "I want to know where he is NOW!" The servant poked his head through the door and squeaked about how he had been trying to tell her that. "Well, get in here and speak up!"  
  
The servant scurried in and told Janda that Bossk had sent in a transmission. The transmission had said that Bossk was getting the Fett girl right as he spoke and there was no sign of Fett yet. He was on Naboo and he gave the exact coordinates. Janda thumped her tail on the ground with a mighty squilch.  
  
"Send some back up! Some space support! I don't want Fett meddling with my plans!"  
  
  
  
~~~ Ok, I've been delayed, but it's with all my stories, not just this one! Yeah, I'm directing a play. Ugh, rowdy kid headaches. 


	17. Deal

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that George Lucas made up; in other words, only Joad is mine, and the idea.  
  
Sorry, so very, very sorry. I just got massive writers block and didn't feel like writing for the longest, most agonizing time! I'll make this one long!  
  
There it was, Naboo. Slave I hovered over the atmosphere for only seconds before plunging down towards the planet. At the controls, Boba Fett was in deep concentration, looking at two screens and skillfully piloting his ship down all at once. One screen had the location of the Solos' vacation house, the other was of the detector device he had left up in space to detect oncoming ships and identify them. He was going to have to be very careful if he was going to pull this off. Bossk could very well be already down there, and even could be retrieving Joad at this second. But if Bossk did not have Joad yet, which was more of a possibility, Fett would have to get through the Solos, if that was indeed whom Joad was with.  
  
Slave I landed half a mile from the Solos' house, which was under attack at the moment. Fett took care not to fly too close to the target so his presence would not be detected. Bossk was getting craftier, but he was still no match for Fett. Bossk was at the disadvantage here, but the Solos were a stubborn bunch and Fett might have problems getting to Joad even after Bossk was out of the picture.  
  
Janda watched the ship speed into hyperspace. It was her fastest ship, and it had better get there soon, if the captain knew what was good for him. Her ship followed milliseconds later. She smiled evilly and popped a squirming creature into her mouth. She would get that Fett girl, no matter what got in her way.  
  
Bossk waited for the dust to clear, readying his entrance. He crawled to the edge of the wall and peeked in. The front hall was a mess. Couches were overturned and tables lay five feet from where they used to be. He grinned.  
  
"Alright Solos. I know you're in there, so might as well give up now. I've come for that girl you've got, and I'm gonna get her." Their reply was an all to close for comfort blaster shot.  
  
From their safe room, Joad, Jania, and Jacen felt the explosion and heard the blaster shot. Joad had come to the decision that she could not stay here. The door was locked fast, so that was out of the question, but there was a window. A single window that was blaster proof and bolted to the wall. Jacen was nervous, fiddling idly with some of the Force gadgets in the room, but mostly watched his sister and Joad. Joad was inspecting the window. She was, after all, the cloned daughter of the galaxy's best bounty hunter.  
  
The window was high up, as most of the safe room was under the ground. Joad and Jania heaved a bed over and placed a chest atop it so it a child would stand on the chest and reach the ceiling of the low room. Once up, Joad tested the bolts, tapped the glass, and made herself look knowledgeable. That was a big word, and she felt proud that she was using it, what ever it meant. Jania was interested in what Joad was doing, and helped her, though she didn't know what she was helping with. Joad finally decided what she was going to do. She went through all the Force gadgets and then, finding nothing to suit her needs, went over to the small workbench. It was a workbench that Han had put in, but it was equipped with child's play tools and a few low powered ones.  
  
Joad sat down on the bench, surveying her materials, trying to ignore the commotion upstairs. She could tell that her dad was not here yet, because she could hear horrible and rude shouts, and those were not made by Han, Leia, or Chewie, and her daddy didn't do that. Before her lay all of the low powered tools that she had gathered from the bench, and Jania was behind her, saying over and over again 'will this work?' as she went through the Force toys. Jacen wandered over and explained some of the Force toys, as much as her could, adding 'this one's my favorite,' or 'this one's boring,' several times each. Finally, Joad took apart all of the low powered tools and began building something she hoped would work. (Kinda smart for a six year old huh?)  
  
Boba could hear the blaster fire from his vantage point. He watched Bossk battling. Bossk was absolutly hopeless. He had set up a sniper rifle, but decided it would be better to let them all wear themselves out before he went down. The Solos were backing into the house and Bossk was gaining ground. Soon Bossk would be half way into the front hall, and then the sniper rifle would be useless from this point.  
  
A message from Slave I grabbed his attention for a second, but that second was a bad second to be not watching Bossk. There was another ship coming out of subspace. The ship was ShodowHunt, one of Janda's ships. And then, the HuttMaster followed, Janda's personal ship. Unfortunately, that second Boba looked away from Bossk was the second Bossk saw him.  
  
Bossk snarled when he saw Fett perched just a hundred yards away. Bossk felt proud that he had seen Fett. Fett had positioned himself just so that he could see Bossk, but Bossk would not have been able to see him except at a few angles. Fett was looking at his wrist now, and beside him sat a high- powered sniper rifle. Bossk didn't take to careful aim, which was lucky for Fett, because if Bossk had carefully aimed, Boba wouldn't have time to move. The shot hit the rock that Fett was perched on, sending rock shards in all directions. Fett was lost in sight, as was his sniper rifle. Leia took this opportunity to fire heavily at Bossk, forcing him to take cover.  
  
"What was he firing at?" Leia wondered out loud. Chewie was keeping Bossk down while Han and Leia re-loaded.  
  
"Well, lets hope they're here to help us." Han grunted in reply as he struggled with his blaster. It had started jamming.  
  
"Let's hope so. Maybe Luke?"  
  
"Luke? No, he's at his school probably. And if he was here, he wouldn't linger out of our sight."  
  
"True."  
  
Bossk was getting frustrated. Not only had he missed Fett, and he was hunkered down, but he was running out of power cells. The Solos' fire had quieted, but he had no doubt that they were waiting for him to move, to show some weakness. He looked over his shoulder and saw, for a quick instant, a T visor staring at him from the bushes, only twenty yards away. Then it was gone, and Bossk was left feeling very exposed and vulnerable.  
  
Boba loaded his sniper rifle with a dart. Bossk may be a ruthless, blundering enemy, but Boba could not kill him. He couldn't kill Bossk because Bossk might know some vital information. Taking careful aim, knowing his time was slipping quickly away now that Janda had arrived, he pulled the trigger. Bossk was downed within seconds, dropping his blaster and laying still. Fett saw Han cautiously peek over the edge of his shelter, duck back down, and the Leia looked. Fett swung his rifle over his shoulder, making his hands empty. The best way to go about this was peacefully, for the moment.  
  
Han peeked over the over turned sofa. "That wasn't our shot, that's for sure." He ducked back down. "I don't like this. A new, unseen guy running around, shooting at Bossk doesn't sound so good to me. Maybe another bounty hunter."  
  
Leia looked over their shelter and ducked back under. "I saw the bushes move over there."  
  
Chewie growled softly and took his turn peeking over. He let out a small, scared growl and ducked back under, instantly prepping his bow caster.  
  
"Chewie.. Chewie!" Han hissed. "What is it?" Chewie made some growling noises, and shook his head around desperately. Han's eyes widened, and he began prepping his blaster as well.  
  
"Han, what is it? Han?.. Han!"  
  
"Speak his name and the Devil will come to you," Han muttered, referring to the time when he talked about Fett just coming into their house if he wanted to. (Confused? See Chapter 12.)  
  
"Han, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I told you Fett could come into our house when ever he felt like it." Han replied, motioning with his head to look. "But look very cautiously."  
  
But Leia didn't need to look. They all froze when they heard the sound of boots on wood, walking steadily, and warily, towards them. The footsteps stopped, and something was kick away from them, skittering across the broken, wooden floor. Then, a raspy voice, filtered out of its normal state through a voice modifier.  
  
"Solo, I want to make deal."  
  
Han stiffened and looked at Leia and Chewie before answering, not moving from his spot. "What sort of deal Fett?"  
  
"Your lives, for the girl."  
  
"What girl?  
  
"Don't play stupid with me Solo. Bossk would only be here for the small human girl, which you have with you, in this house. Where is she? I have come to," a split second of hesitation, "return her to her father. If you do not show her whereabouts, I will find them."  
  
"Fett, you don't really leave someone much choice do you?  
  
"No."  
  
Leia cut in. "Why would someone send for a big, hotshot bounty hunter like you to get a kidnapped little girl? Why would Bossk care?"  
  
Boba narrowed his eyes under his helmet. "There is a feud, and the kidnapper hired Bossk to get the child of a man so she could use that man without pay."  
  
"The father figured it out pretty quick." Leia snapped suspiciously.  
  
"His dealings where cut short."  
  
"I still don't believe you."  
  
"Then how about this for a compromise. If the girl comes to me willingly, will you let me take her?"  
  
Leia looked at Han, eyebrows raised. Han looked at her, eyebrow cocked. Han replied. "All right Fett, you got yourself a deal. But I want to ensure my family's safety. You'll not fire a single shot at any family member?"  
  
"Until I have my merchandise and have left, you have my word that I will not fire a shot unless it is in self defense."  
  
"Your word?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Han whispered to Leia: "Well, he is known for keeping his word, and we don't have much of a choice." Han stood up and looked at Fett's empty hands. "All right Fett, follow me." Han looked down at Chewie, and Chewie growled in dislike, but nodded. Leia stood up and glared at Fett.  
  
Boba looked away from Leia, unscathed by her icy glare. Inside, he had calmed the butterflies in his stomach. Butterflies? How long had it been since he had had zarking butterflies? Forever it seemed. When he was still a little boy.  
  
He had told mostly the truth to Leia's questions, though he couldn't see why she would care anyway. They surely didn't think that Joad would come to him willingly, but if she did, he may have to take her out of here by force.  
  
Boba followed Han, watching the small screen bellow and to the left of his eyes that watch Chewie behind him. And people thought he just had quick reflexes. His reflexes where quicker than that of an ordinary humans', true, but he couldn't dodge blaster bolts.  
  
After going down a flight of stairs, they came to a door. They were underground now, judging by the fact that Boba saw no windows and there was a dank smell in the air. They came to a door, and Han looked cautiously at Boba before hiding the panel in front of him and pushing some buttons, opening the door with a quiet hiss. Solo must be getting paranoid with his old age, having a safe room for his kids, Boba thought. But there was something wrong..  
  
Leia gasped and ran into the empty room. A breeze from the open window fluttered her skirts.  
  
"Where are they? Where are they!" she cried.  
  
I'm soooo sorry folks. Lost motivation for a time there. Oops. Lucky for you I decided to re-read the Star Wars, Episode 2 book.. Well, part of it anyway. Anikan is such a jerk isn't he? And I read your reviews. Thanks! 


	18. Rescue

Disclaimer: Me no own Star Wars. All original characters are mine. Nothing else, you hear me! I have no money! Please don't sue.  
  
Ok, sorry it took so long for me to get Chapter 17 out. I.lost motivation for a while. I was thrown into a horrible dark chamber and forced to slave away for hours with people breathing down my neck waiting for me to put a toe out of line. *Coughmyoldschoolcoughcough* But all is well now! I'm in high school! Go Band!  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Han stared between Boba and the empty room. "They were here. I swear. They were. They weren't supposed to get out. They were here." Chewie roared out the open window, but the children couldn't hear him.  
  
Leia panicked. Her babies were gone. And with Joad, the girl that everyone was after. Why had she taken a girl from the streets? She was a respected individual from the senate. She was a high-ranking and highly respected human. She was supposed to be wise and intelligent. Why had she done such a stupid thing? But Joad was so innocent. She was being returned to her father, obviously an extremely rich and powerful man, who happened to love his daughter very much. But he did services. He was some illegal crime lord, and his daughter had just escaped from Chief of State Leia Organa Solo's house. When word got out, what would enter her life? More stress and action, just what she needed.  
  
Boba, on the other hand, looked at the window, and turned and walked out. Quickly. His steps bordered on running. Of course he was not panicking. He saw Chewie grab Solo and Leia and drag them after him, but he didn't care. He had to get Joad. Joad was in danger.  
  
"Fett, wait," Solo called after him jogging to catch up. "Our children. Can you.can you get them back? You're getting Joad and.."  
  
"When I get the girl, your children will be there." He was glad Solo was starting to get a grip. If you panicked, you would accomplish nothing. "Get you blaster ready Solo, it won't be easy." He noticed Solo giving him a sidelong look, but he didn't care. He was going to save Joad.  
  
They emerged from the house, carefully stepping around the unconscious figure of Bossk. Leia was off of Chewie, supporting her own weight, a look of determination on her face, gripping her blaster, ready for anything. Chewie was by her side, eager to get Jacen and Jania back. Han walked shadowing Fett.  
  
A rumble filled the swampy forest. All four took cover immediately, dodging behind shrubs and trees, keeping a sharp eye out. A ship rose out of the nearby jungle. The group watched from their vantage points as it blasted off into the atmosphere.  
  
When it was gone, Leia crawled in the dirt over to Boba Fett.  
  
"What are we going to do now?" She hissed as Han and Chewie slowly crawled over. They all looked at him expectantly. Where were their brains? He knew that Solo had a better mind then this, same as Leia and Chewie. He guessed that losing their children made them think less straight. Some people.  
  
It was obvious to him what to do. Janda had come in two ships and only one had lifted off. "It's a decoy," he grunted as he punched a command into his ship control on his wrist. Slave I blasted off in a blaze of light and explosion. It rocketed up through the atmosphere and disappeared into the dusk sky.  
  
"Where are they then? Our children are here?" "Who else is here? That wasn't Bossk's ship? What going on?" Question's bombarded him from both sides. Hadn't he used to not give answers?  
  
"Janda the Hutt is here, trying to get her leverage back."  
  
"Janda," Han asked, completely shocked. "Janda the Hutt? Wants Joad? Who's is this girls father?"  
  
Without reply, Boba got up and stalked almost silently through the forest, dodging and weaving. They were all spread out, hidden and out of sight most of the time except for a flash here, and crack there.  
  
Boba knew what that ship leaving meant. He had to get there before Janda got word that Slave I wasn't following, or she left herself. The Hutt was no fool. She would not send the children off, and she was probably thinking that he was a frantic father, pining for his daughter. Hence Slave I's hasty departure, just to help her reasoning. He didn't know where Janda was, but he knew where her ship had landed, and she was bound to be close to it.  
  
Janda smiled as she saw Slave I blast away. Fett wasn't as smart as he pretended, especially when he thought like a father, and not a bounty hunter. She knew very well that Fett could be outsmarted and out toughed. True, it didn't happen very often, but it happened. She had the upper hand. She had his daughter.  
  
There were the two others, an added bonus. Handy that the twin children of Leia and Han Solo should fall into her hands. Blackmail was a powerful tool. She chuckled and looked over at the sniveling children. With a jolt she realized that none of them were sniveling. True, Jacen and Jania Solo looked frightened, but Joad Fett was sitting erect, ignoring her companions, eyes darting. Was she looking for escape? Or her father? Janda moved slowly over.  
  
"My dear girl," Janda put on her sweetest voice, silkily trying to break her. "There is no hope for escape. That was your father's ship blasting away. He's gone and left you. Be a dear and don't cry." It didn't work. Joad turned her steely, dry gaze towards the Hutt and stared. Her eyes didn't move, her mouth a line, pursed at the corners. He shoulder-length black hair qwivered and the small girl shook. Janda would have like to think that it was with fear. But as she slowly moved away, she decided that it wasn't.  
  
Leia watched the cluster of mercenaries, Hutt aides, Janda, and, most important of all to her, her children. Pride burst in her as she saw that neither of them where crying, though they were holding each other's hand, for support. She noticed that Joad sat stiffly and silently. A single tear slid down Joad's cheek and she hastily whipped it away. Leia saw Janda smile triumphantly, sickeningly, at her. But all Leia had a mind for was her babies. Captured by this horrible creature. And for what?  
  
Leia waited for the signal. It was a birdcall, not native to this planet, to be given by Fett. Who would have thought that he could whistle? It was probably some sound maker thing that he had. The plan was simple, but horribly dangerous. The children were at serious risk. But it was the only was short of surrendering herself to Janda. That would put both herself and her children at Janda's mercy. Fett had also said it was not an option, so it was not an option.  
  
The plan was the after the birdcall had been sounded, Fett, Han and she would cover Chewie, the closest to the kids, as he rescued them. That was all that was told. Pick off the guards first. It would be tragic if Joad died, but her children were the priority for her. She had no doubt that, if given the chance, Fett would run off with Joad, leaving them to finish the fight. She watched, ears straining, as Janda began a discussion on a comlink.  
  
Janda grinned as the tear slid down the Fett girl's cheek. But that was all, no more followed. She would break, once she realized that her father wasn't coming. Oh yes, she would break. Fett would see a sobbing daughter, totally broken, but unharmed. That was how he would soften. He would bow to her, and help her jump up through the Hutt world until she was ruler. She smiled again at the thought. She would rule the clans.  
  
An aide brought her a comlink, murmuring hastily that it was Nal Hammar, the pilot that had flew the decoy ship. No doubt he was calling to confirm Fett's follow-up, then she could leave this planet.  
  
"My Ruler Janda," he began in Huttese. "I must tell you regretfully that Slave I has not appeared to have followed us. I do not believe that he believed our flight."  
  
A shrill birdcall rent the air, trilling between three pitches, ending in dash upward and the last note hung in the air. The mercenaries fidgeted, and Janda new why. _That_ wasn't a native bird.  
  
Then all Hell broke loose.  
  
Blaster fire came from the trees, picking off mercenaries one by one. A well-aimed rocket exploded with impact to the cockpit of Janda's ship, the HuttMaster. And the children were gone in a roar and blur of brown.  
  
Blaster fire was flying everywhere. The mercenaries, caught in the open, were being picked off like rabbits. Blaster fire from the forest continued. The only shelter she saw was her ruined ship. She was almost there when suddenly there was a Fett in front of her.  
  
"You tricked me Janda." Boba stood before her, a rocket launcher in his hand. Janda eyes were transfixed on it, but right hand moved slowly to her last hope. "I don't appreciate being tricked, or used. You know to much." His finger tightened on the trigger and Janda pulled her hidden blaster. Her world exploded in a blinding flash of light. The last sound she heard was her wild shot.  
  
Dude, I'm on a role! Hope you guys like it! Give me feedback! Please. 


	19. Time to be Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own anything not mine. Star Wars is not mine. Joad is. Please do not use her in any of your stories. Thank you.  
  
Wow. Thanks for the reviews. No really, thank you! Reviews encourage me so much. VampireNaomi, the things that I did to get better involved looking at a picture or something cool in nature and going over my head how would I describe it in words. Cool thing to do, and it passes time. Just kept writing (thought not my fanfiction stories as much).  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Han stood with Leia as the gazed around the clearing. It was empty and devoid of sound. There wasn't even the groaning of the injured. Not anymore. There was no birdsong or the pleasant rustle of animals in the undergrowth. There was no sound at all. Leia shivered. She and Han were also alone. Very, very alone.  
  
Chewie had run off with the children, and they were safe. No one had run off after them, and Chewie was well apt to protecting them. But Boba Fett was gone. Leia had last seen him confronting Janda, but hadn't watched. The last sounds of the battle had been a sickeningly juicy explosion and a few blaster shots. She was immensely glad that her children and Joad were not here. Such carnage for one so young was unthinkable. Leia had avoided looking towards Janda, or what was left, ever since she had first laid eyes on it.  
  
The head was gone, splattered about, but the body lay slumped over, one hand clutching a still hot blaster rifle. Leia's eyes fell on it, her small amount of Force sensitivity telling her that there was something else. It moved. Well, shifted it more like it, a tiny fraction of it moving up the down.  
  
"Han.." But she didn't have to finish. They both watched Boba Fett pull himself from under dead weight and stand. He staggered, on hand on the stiffening body for support, but he stood. On arm was wrapped firmly around his waist, gripping his side. He turned and walked toward him. Leia saw the blaster burn. It wasn't a graze. He had been shot between the plates of his armor. How he was still walking, she didn't know.  
  
"Where is she?" He was wounded, perhaps seriously, and all he could think about was Joad. Once the bounty hunter, always the bounty hunter, Leia decided. Cold precision was how you survived, and the great Boba Fett wasn't going to let a little thing like a blaster wound in a seriously painful spot slow him down.  
  
"Safe. With Chewie," Han replied. Fett turned and began walking in the direction that Chewie had run off in. He got a few steps before staggering again, barely catching himself before he fell.  
  
"Fett, you should get some medical gear before you return to Joad." Leia felt it was her duty to protect Joad from this monstrosity for as long as possible.  
  
Fett turned away from the forest to face her. Perhaps he was about to reply, perhaps just give her the Fett look, but he really didn't have time. A tiny missile flew from the forest, catching him in the back of his knees. He grunted and fell with a clatter. Leia and Han gasped. Leia could only think of one thing that would explain this.  
  
"She's attacking him!"  
  
Sure enough, Joad and Boba appeared to be brawling. Boba rolled over as Joad scrambled toward him. He grabbed her under the arms and lifted her. She hung, looking at him expressionlessly as he lay on his back, just holding her. A tear slide off her cheek and landed on the T visor. Han and Leia watched in amazement.  
  
"It thought you had left," Joad whispered. Boba sat up and placed her on the ground, blaster burn seemingly forgotten. Chewie, with Jacen and Jania, stood unmoving at the edge of the carnage filled clearing, Chewie trying unsuccessfully to get the children out of here. They were staring about the field of carnage with wide eyes, horrified, not looking at the bounty hunter and his daughter. Leia and Han stood together, speechless.  
  
"Never," was the soft reply as he wiped her face with a gloved finger. And indeed it was soft. The voice amplifier was off, and Fett's voice was soothing and deep, with a strange accent. The same as Joad's. He stood from his kneeling position next to her and suddenly it all clicked. Han made a choking sound.  
  
"_You're_ Joad's father?" Han's eyes were wide, waiting for Boba to shake his head, to deny it. But the bounty hunter nodded silently, placing one hand on a tree for support.  
  
Leia looked down at Joad and up at Fett. So, the notorious bounty hunter was the one Janda was after. It seemed.unreal. How could Boba Fett have a sweet daughter? "How.? Who.?"  
  
"You know what few else know in this galaxy. Everyone in Janda's employment who knew accompanied her." Boba stopped and retrieved a small disc chip from a pocket and tossed it to Han. "For your silence." But Leia knew what else it was for. It was for her, no, _their_ protection. Word would eventually leak out. Boba Fett was alive and he had a daughter. And only an idiot would try and take her from him.  
  
Joad tugged on a gloved finger and Fett looked down at her. Somehow that T visor seemed soft when he looked at her, but Leia didn't know how. Joad lived in the view of that visor. She wondered if he took it off at home. "They were real nice to me Dad."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Can I go say good bye to them?  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"We may," he paused and tightened his hold on his side and spoke again with gritted teeth. "We may be staying a little longer."  
  
They didn't stay in the ruined house. They stayed in a lower profile house. It turned out to be perfect for Boba's needs. It was Han's "back- up" house and had weapons and more defense than their previous house and, most importantly, a large stock of medical supplies. It even had a bacta tank.  
  
It had been hard for Fett at first. He hesitated and tried to think of some way to get out of it. But Joad could not fly Slave I. If something happened to him while returning to Kamino.. He had to stay here. He had to get the Solo's help. He had to take his helmet off.  
  
At a glance, the burn was not too serious. Nothing a bacta patch couldn't take care of, right? Wrong. His side was stiffening and his fingers were beginning to go numb. Janda's wild shot was causing more trouble than it was worth. The last 100 yards or so, much to Fett's embarrassment and frustration at being so vulnerable, Chewbacca had had to carry him. Maiden style. His legs would no longer support him and his ribs were giving his agony. Joad understood that she was to be out of the way and quiet, but Jacen and Jania kept wondering, and loudly, what was going on. They did until Leia told them to hush. The rest of the way was made in silence. They weren't complete idiots, but they hadn't been trained since they could walk either. They were just above average little kids.  
  
Joad had insisted on being in the room when Boba was to have his bacta treatment. Boba smiled when she rummaged through the neat pile his armor had made and pulled out a blaster. It was a small hand blaster, but it would injure any unwary intruder. Leia had frowned and Joad but made no abjection when Boba had voiced none.  
  
Both Han and Leia had stayed in the room, pretending to go over the treatment container. Boba was not fooled. Han could have seen his face once, when Chewbacca had ripped off his helmet, but he had been busy getting away. Leia was a woman, and curious; Han was, well, Han.  
  
Hours later, Boba was dressing privately with Joad. He let her help him, proud that she would show such interest in his armor. She knew what he did now. She accepted it, which made pride swell in his chest. She was a Fett, daughter (blotched clone) of a Fett. Fetts didn't cry.  
  
His side bothered him. It wasn't heeled all the way. The Kaminoians were cloners, but they also had advanced medical technology so he wasn't worried. He just needed to get back.  
  
He left the room and came face to face with Leia. Well, more of helmet to face with Leia. He didn't want them goggling at his face anymore than they had to. She blinked in surprise with him in his armor then put on a determined expression. He had seen that look on her before, just before they had retrieved the children. Right before a hard battle.  
  
"Joad, go say good bye to Jacen and Jania." Joad ran down the hall and around the corner. He watched her go, watching Leia out of the corner of his eye. She was watching Joad too.  
  
"You really love, don't you?" Nod. That was all. Just a nod. "I assume the mother doesn't live with her? Or you? Did you love her as much as you love her daughter?"  
  
"Why do you assume her mother doesn't live with us?"  
  
"Because, she's like a mini you. It doesn't seem like she's had much feminine loving before this. Or does she have a nanny? Is that who Taun We is?"  
  
"Was. She is far to old for a nanny."  
  
Leia frowned. She doubted there were any lies in there, but riddled with twists and turns in the truth. The "was" could be implying that Tuan We was no longer a nanny, or no longer existed. Possibly a guardian for when he was away. "Who's the mother?"  
  
He was looking at her now, his T visor no longer soft looking, but hard and sharp, not missing any detail. Leia kept her face determined. She would not tell anyone about Joad. The dear was just so sweet. She would protect Joad and her mother. If that required protect Boba Fett as well, so be it.  
  
"The Mother is nearby." The Mother is what the Kaminoians called the cloning machine for single clones. Leia's eyes narrowed, but she found it hard to believe that anyone would be able to stand living with Fett. His living quarters, or possibly a house, would probably be in extremely neat precision, more so that hers. And he's cold. Except, she reminded herself, when he talked or looked at Joad. Who was this mysterious mother? Joad didn't seem like she had had very much womanly influence. "And don't get any ideas Solo. I can raise Joad just fine." Leia frowned. Her face must have given too much away.  
  
"I doubt you've had much lessons in raising children Fett. It's a woman's job."  
  
"Not necessarily."  
  
"Don't be stubborn. You could just drop her off once in a while."  
  
"No."  
  
"Just once a-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Just-"  
  
"No."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Boba began to walk past her but paused. When he spoke, his voice amplifier was on again. It was back to business. "Once again, for you silence." He handed her another chip, which had considerable less credits on it, but enough to bribe someone.  
  
"I don't need your bribing Fett." Leia's voice would have frozen ice on Hoth. "I wouldn't betray Joad to any monster who would use her."  
  
Boba nodded and tucked the chip away. He believed her but he wondered if she would be saying that in 10 years or so. But enough time to worry about that. It was past time to be gone. 


	20. Ship?

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I do own this story, except for the Star Wars stuff.. Yeah, if that made sense.  
  
I hope you guys liked the last chapter. Just for a warning, I've gone through a 10-year skip. In the story I mean. I haven't grown ten years in the last few days. There will not be any Yuuzhan Vong, mainly because I have not, and will not, read the New Order series. Seems silly to me. Besides, Jedi are prats. My personal opinion of course, but I don't like them very much. And no, it's not just because of Anikan. Speaking of Anikan, Leia's son Anikan is much younger than Jacen and Jania than originally. Just to get him out of the way. I really don't know what any of them are like much. Just what the character guides and such tell me.  
  
Chapter 20 (yes! Into the 20s!)  
  
Leia leaned back in her desk. No one was scampering into her office with reports and news, with petitions for her audience, with complaints or with documents that needed her signature. It was quiet times like this that she got time to think of personal matters. It was now that she could be Leia Organa Solo, not Supreme Chancellor Solo. This was the rare chance where her thoughts could be her thoughts.  
  
Almost immediately she thought of her twin brother, Luke, and his Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. Her three children were there. Training to be Jedi. She was so proud of them. There was little Anikan, no longer little, and her oldest children, twins, Jacen and Jania. Sadly, Jania was distant from her, more distant that her other children. Thought of Jania brought unbidden thoughts of Joad. A vague memory of a six-year-old sweet girl, ten years past. But that was ten years ago. What had happened to her? Hopefully nothing, since she had not heard of anything from her informants. But then again, no one had heard about her encounter with the Fetts. She hoped Joad's mother had gotten to her. A sixteen-year-old girl raised and trained by the galaxies most ruthless bounty hunter would be frightening. She wondered if Joad even remembered her, or Jania or Jacen. She had not been able to contact Fett after they left Naboo. What was she doing now?  
  
"Hey Dad, when do I get a ship?"  
  
Boba looked up from the screen of the computer to look at his daughter. Had he really been this impulsive at that age? Well, impulsive was the wrong word really. Joad was disciplined well, and didn't question him. Didn't question him usually anyways. This was the first time today, but he was sure he would hear that question again before sunset. Just the same as the past week.  
  
"Same answer to the same question Joad. It won't change. When you learn to handle Slave I properly."  
  
Joad frowned. "But I can. I have been able to since I was 11."  
  
"Two words Joad. Asteroid field."  
  
She squirmed. "That was once! And besides, I was in complete control! Most of the time anyway. And you said that you've gone into-"  
  
"When I needed to. I didn't go in for fun. That's suicidal."  
  
"I'm still here."  
  
"I'm not talking about skills anyway. You are very skilled at flying, as good as me."  
  
She blushed at the compliment and looked extremely pleased with herself. Compliments didn't come often, but criticism was just as welcome. Her father loved her enough to make her perfect at her to be profession. The pleased look didn't last long though. They had had this discussion before. "I have to learn to be one with the ship, to become her. I can't just fly her. There's more to it than the controls. I know, I know." She looked sulky as she recited her father's lecture from memory.  
  
Boba reached his arm across the space between them and tilted her chin up with his hand. "Fetts don't sulk," he said, giving her a wiry grin. "Besides, I have another surprise for you. Better than a ship."  
  
Joad perked up. Her father was right, Fetts didn't sulk. Or cry. Or do any of that pansy stuff. But her father had a surprise. This was new, obviously. Surprises didn't come often enough, but if they were good, they were welcome. Boba gestured toward the computer screen. Joad got up and looked. And could barely keep back a squeak of joy.  
  
"For me Dad?" Her voice was breathless. This was better than any ship.  
  
"Who else? My armour won't fit you properly." On the screen was a 3D image of armour that would fit Joad when she stopped growing. It was like her fathers. A T-shaped visor, a jet pack, various hiding spots for weapons. "You'll be able to update it when you need to. It's not authentic Mandalorian armour, but it'll have to do."  
  
Joad smiled. She was bursting with joy. Her own armour! That meant that her father had decided that she was close to ready to join in the hunt. The hunt! She could hardly wait.  
  
"Where are you going to get it? The Kaminoeans don't make weapons."  
  
"There's someone who owes me a.debt."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Padron Nidal muttered grimly as he worked. Metal working shops had changed much with technology, but Nidal mixed old ways with new. The result? The finest metal on Kindar. But, unfortunately, his techniques were not idiot proof, and mistakes did happen. His tail lashed and he wanted to bite something. Oh, how much he wanted to bite something!  
  
The bell chimed in the front of the shop. Padron gnashed his teeth and threw the plate of overworked metal into the scrap pile. Taking off his apron and gloves and mask, he opened the heat resistant door and stepped into the cool shop. An instant later he found himself wishing to be back in that blasted furnace of a room. Shock didn't show well on Trianii cat features, but Padron's jaw fell open.  
  
"B-boba Fett?" He regained his dignity. "How may I assist you? If I recall, I owe you a debt."  
  
Fett nodded. The same Padron Nidal that he remembered. "How long will it take you to make this?" Gloved hand handed over holochip to clawed hand.  
  
"A month, and least. Come back in a month and a half. And that's only if I spend all my time working on it. I don't usually do armour Fett. But for you, I'll do it."  
  
Boba nodded. Just as he expected. Padron loved a challenge, anything that tested his skills. The small room was decorated with silver ornaments, so finely worked they looked like glass. But they were hard. Hard enough to withstand a blaster bolt and look brand knew. He knew that from experience. He paused before leaving. "How's your daughter?"  
  
Nidal smiled. "She has a family now. Thanks to you." The Trianii blacksmith paused and looked at the 3D armour figure revolving in his hand. "How's yours?"  
  
"A regular Fett." Under his helmet, Boba smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joad sat back, grinning. She was sixteen and in top shape. Muscles didn't bulge, but they were there. She could run fast and jump high. She could destroy or render useless the droids she fought now and then. They were out of date, left over from the mass of clones created for the Republic. The Old Republic she reminded herself. Her smile slid off her face. Was she ready? Sure, she was a deadly fighter, but.. Experience was required to be top-of-the-line in bounty hunter. Her father just taught her this so she wouldn't get blasted to smithereens before she could get experience. He himself had said it. She told him to be patient, to examine what she did wrong and fix it next time. She had experience from fighting her father. He didn't hold back on her anymore. She didn't hold back on him either. She liked living here on Kamino, but it wouldn't last forever. She just hoped she was ready when that time came to an end.  
  
She also knew why they lived here. Years ago she had uncovered the secret of her being. Her father had been proud, saying that the skill of uncovering information was important. So, she uncovered as much information as she could. She hacked into the Tipoca mainframe and information stores. She found files on her "grandfather." She found files on her father. She found files on herself. She was a blotched clone. A mess-up. A one of a kind. And she was proud. Her father was proud. The Kaminoeans, on the other hand, thought she was delicate and wrong. They viewed her as proof of their incompetence.  
  
Not that they were incompetent. The Kaminoean people were brilliant beings that had mastered cloning skills. Suan, who had taken over Tuan We's place after she died-murdered, Joad thought bitterly- avoided her. Not like Tuan We. Tuan We had been friendly and kind. The Kaminoeans were cold, thinking nothing of their cloning. But Joad knew that she would come here one day, perhaps asking for a son. She was a bounty hunter. She was a Fett. She would take her father's place as the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy. Curse the Jedi and their wish for peace. Bounty hunting was a profession, maybe as old as the "oldest profession", and her father's hatred was passed down as surly as his genes. The Jedi and their long noses, she thought, struggling to keep a sneer off her face. They would try to stop her before she reached her top level of performance. Curse the Jedi. She was Joad Fett and she would get to the top. She would make her father proud. 


	21. Engineer

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. There.  
  
Thank you all! I love my readers! (I love them more when they review. And did I mention when I love you more, I update faster? *hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink*) Ok, here's the scoop. School has officially started. Good news and bad news. I'll start with the bad news because the bad news is more pressing. I'm gonna have homework and stuff. Get me off my.butt. But homework, as all students know, eats time like no other. So you must be patient with me. I promise that I will update as fast as I can. It might not be fast because then I might not produce a pleasing story and we all know how bad that would be. Ok! Good news! Second semester I'm taking a creative writing class! That mean's your truly will become, dare I say it, better! I'm so excited! In the mean time I get to play with clay and shape metal! Bat rings.. Eh? Nothing. Ok, I have a plot! Exciting and long! Complex and witty (I hope)! Read on! (please.)  
  
Chapter 21  
  
The sun rose over the horizon on the planet Harkron, spilling dappled light through the canopy of a lush forest. A solitary sunbeam danced straight through the entrance of a cozy den nestled in the underbrush and lighted on the eyelids of a small furry creature. The creature's large eyes fluttered open, and it stretched its front paws and wiggled its four furry toes. To complete the morning preparation for the day, it opened its narrow snout in a big yawn, wiggled its little pink nose then perked up its big soft ears. There, now it was ready for the day. The creature, who happened to be a cheeb, and who happened to be named Blic (a noise which would sound almost indistinguishable from the other chirps and coos which made up the cheeb's primitive language to a humans wimpy ears) sauntered out of his family's den to join the rest of his clan for a nice breakfast of flowers and tender leaves.  
The moment he stepped outside, Blic was instantly set upon by two fuzzy cannonballs. After the initial confusion of being knocked head over paws into a furry heap, Blic cheeped in delight at his two friends Kie and Beek and enthusiastically joined in their playful wrestling. They ran and rolled and tackled each other, playing hide and ambush behind tufts of grass and bushes, making as much noise as they pleased for by some spectacular stroke of luck the cheebs had no natural predators save the natives of the planet, and the natives had always held the cheebs as sacred. So the three little cheeblings had grown with no fear of their surroundings, and the whole herbivorous species had lived for generations in unbroken peaceful harmony. The young cheebs' game was interrupted by the high-pitched call of Blic's mother, and they scampered back to the center of the sunny meadow where the dens were gathered in a rough circle. Blic's mother always ensured that he got his morning's bath and he was forced to cheep goodbye to his two friends as their own mothers called them for their baths. Blic bounded over to his mum and nuzzled her affectionately as she promptly started grooming his silky fur with a soft pink tongue. After he was done he grabbed a mouthful of clover then hopped up onto a tuft of grass to scout out potential playmates. Kie and Beek weren't done with their baths yet; they had to wait in line because they had young siblings. Some of Blic's brothers and sisters were around, but they were all much older than him. They wouldn't want to play for they were too concerned with more mature matters (making themselves as cute as possible, cheeping with friends, and flirting with other cheebs.) Blic's ears drooped with loneliness, but his spirits couldn't stay dampened for long. His bright eyes spotted a butterfly and he bounded off his perch to go play with that. The adorable creature frolicked through the grass, full of young lively energy, chasing the elusive butterfly until it finally fluttered out of reach. Game over. Blic yawned and looked around. He was in the green sunlight of the forest, and a good distance away from the family burrows. No matter, he was not concerned. He sat peacefully for a moment, loving life, gazing up at the beauty of the sun through the leaves, breathing the fresh air, listening to the melodious songs of...the birds? It didn't even occur to the young innocent creature to take warning from the absence of birdsong, so it was a complete shock to him when the net was thrown over his eyes.  
  
Kruug Y'Jaagorg's sunken eyes glinted with sadistic glee as he twisted the net painfully tight around the struggling creature, and his thin pale lips reveled yellow crooked teeth as he grinned at its pained squeals. A shockingly rich and beautiful voice flowed out of the cadaverous face as he taunted: "Hello little one, lets see what the future says in your entrails!"  
  
Joad admired herself in the mirror. A deadly red and black armored figure looked back. She grinned most evilly under her helmet, and replica of her father's except for the color and of course some modifications to fit her female physiology. Red and black had been her choice. They looked.sinister. More threatening. Her helmet was connected to slave one, directly connected with her father with the latest communication technology. He was away right now, back into the hunt. Joad picked up her T-07 blaster, the latest and best blaster available, and it hadn't even hit the legal markets yet.  
  
Now all she needed was a ship.  
  
How she wanted Slave I. But it was her father's ship. She would inherit it when he died. But until then, it was his. Sure, she could borrow it, fly it, but it wasn't hers. Oh well, she was suited and ready to go. Now all that was needed was a hunt. That was why her father was away. Finding a beginner's hunt for her, not too easy, but not too seriously deadly either.  
  
The roar of Slave I returning sounded dully through the walls of their quarters that Joad and Boba shared. Joad's stomach lurched, but her face under the helmet stayed neutral, like she had been trained. She began to ruin over the defensive and attacking maneuvers in her mind, but stopped when she realized it wouldn't help her. She would panic, her father had told her, and do what ever came first. Possibly she would be able to control it, to get her merchandise without panic, but he doubted it. For a while, there was always panic, at least for the species that could feel it. It would go away with time. And experience. She wondered briefly if Boba would cry if she died.  
  
The door slide open and her father walked in, his helmet tuck beneath one arm. His face was neutral, like hers as she slid off her helmet. There were few smiles in the Fett household, but they were warm smiles, and loving.  
  
Her explained the hunt to her, as much as she needed to know now. The rest she could learn on the ship.  
  
I mean, he thought, how hard could capturing an engineer be?  
  
Luke turned off the holographic communications device. Another plea for help, and Luke gave help whenever he could. He smiled as he called Jacen and Jania, now both sixteen, to him using the Force. They would take care of this one. I mean, he thought, how hard could protecting an engineer be?  
  
Skont Yvosk turned off the holographic communicator with Luke Skywalker. He didn't think the Jedi took his plea too seriously. But Skont had heard a rumor of a rumor that an evil mastermind was looking for the most brilliant engineers to build him a super fortress weapon thing. Unfortunately for him, Skont, a skaj, was considered one of the finest. He just hoped that the Jedi sent some apt Jedi to protect him, but any Jedi would do. The bounty hunters these days, though getting better equipment, were slowly getting sloppy without lack of real competition between them. That sloppyness just might save the small rat-like engineering genius.  
  
Sorry it took so long. Just starting school, you know. Hope you like. And yes, it will make sense. I'd like to thank my sister for writing the Harkron scene. *Capslock's lips curl into a malicious smile and says, "Isn't it just absolutely horrid?"* I love reviews. Please review. Well- rounded criticism is encouraged. If you see a problem, point it out please. I'll take note and see if I agree with you. 


	22. Our Chargeis insane

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Star Wars, so excuse me for writing it.  
  
For all you people besides VampireNaomi who want to read a love story, please read somewhere else. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but yes, someone will fall in love, but no, the feeling won't be mutual. But I promise, it'll be funny that way. I may write a love story one day, but Joad probably won't be included. Maybe. Maybe, but not to a Jedi. She hates them too much. Jedi are losers to my mind, and Sith rock. But that's enough of that. You all are probably wondering what's gonna happen if you actually take the time to read my.chit chat. Loserly chit chat.  
  
Chapter 22  
  
Joad Fett sat at the controls of Slave I. This was ecstasy for her. Finally going off on her own after accompanying her father on so many hunts. Finally, all alone in Slave I. A bit too alone, she admitted to herself. Slave I felt dimly empty and unfriendly opposed to all the times when her father had sat in the copilot's chair and watched her fly. But as she had thought before, it was too empty. Hopefully it would not be so for long. Hopefully she would return soon with credits from an employer earned from delivering her merchandise.  
  
You see, though Joad wasn't yet a bounty hunter technically, she thought and acted like one. After her first lone hunt, she would be a bounty hunter, forever, just like her father, and her father's father, though she understood he hadn't always been a bounty hunter. Both her father and her grandfather had lived lives of pain, as most bounty hunters do. She was expecting that and had prepared her mind for death and pain. But they had lived lives of personal pain, and the pain of hatred. She was hoping to avoid that specific pain. She hoped it with all her coldening heart, but then, so do they all.  
  
Joad ignited Slave I and blasted off, not bothering to look back to see if Boba was watching. This was not the parent waving their child off at the bus stop on their first day of school. She knew what he was doing. Training no doubt, preparing his mind for the possibility that she might not return. Then he would get another clone, and start over.  
  
But now was not the time to think about that. After she put Slave I in hyperspace, she pulled up the information of her merchandise. His was a race of small rat-like beings called the skaj, and his name was Skont. Not that the name mattered or anything.  
  
Jania hoped out of the X wing and looked at her surroundings. She heard Jacen scramble out after her. He was an excellent Jedi knight, and a good pilot, but when it came to entering and exiting ships, he was hopeless.  
  
She was dressed in the regular Jedi rode, but every Jedi had subtle bits in her attire that screamed her personality. There was nothing like a uniform to show one's uniqueness. Her boots were longer and had a heel. Her belt was made of black fine leather. Her cloak was not burlap. Just subtle humor.I mean differences.  
  
Jacen looked around. There were two vast storehouses surrounded by trees. Almost perfect surroundings.for the bounty hunter. If there was going to be one anyway. Many times Jedi were called away on false calls and wild goose chases. He hoped this wasn't one. Then again, he also didn't really want a bounty hunter to come. Not that he was scared or anything.  
  
Jania knew why they had been sent here, on this so-called "mission." Uncle Luke had sent them here because he thought it was a false alarm. It was to teach them discipline and patience. Jania could hardly help from rolling her eyes. She shared a looked with her brother, and they headed off to the nearest of the storage houses.  
  
Inside was a bunch of boxes and tables, what else in a storage place? The strange thing was the smell. It was that kind of nasty gross smell that you get when you wash you dog. You just want it out of the room, but it doesn't really make you gag unless you bury your nose into his or her fur, which, as we all know, little kids do often. That smell. They wrinkled their noses as they followed it. Jania and Jacen both figured it was their charge. The rounded a wall of boxes and the scenery seemed to change. The space seemed to stretch on into false darkness; darkness that was just an illusion of distance. Filling this almost empty space were tables dotted with gadgets and models of buildings, scientific beakers and glass bottles, diagrams that often covered two tables pulled together, and minute skeletons of various creatures, downsized but accurate to the tiniest detail. The tables only came up to just above the knee. And they went on forever. And ever. And ever again. Jania had a pretty good idea what was in the other storage house.  
  
And what of the smell? Well, a ways in the maze of tables was a figure that was about 4 feet tall bent over a table and toxic looking smoke was coming from something the creature was bent over. That was the smell.  
  
They wound their way through the tables, looking into the shadows and looking for escape routes. Unfortunately it wasn't like your ordinary hotel room with those maps that say 'you are here' and have the little red line to follow in case of fire. There were no big signs in the distance like beacons of safety reading 'EXIT.' Obviously our little friend didn't seem to think there was any need for a quick escape. Or maybe he was just planning to leap over tables on his way out. Or maybe he just assumed that if there was an explosion, then he wouldn't survive it anyway. Or, there was always the possibility that he was stupid.  
  
He turned around as the approached and squinted at them, rubbing his watering eyes. Or rather, trying to rub because of the big goggles he had on; but his eyes were still watery. He turned off the flame and the yellowish smoke stopped almost immediately, but the smell didn't. His rat face formed a smile and he took of his goggles and set them on the table.  
  
"Hello, hello there. You must be the Jedi protectors that I asked for. Wonderful, wonderful. I was beginning to think that you weren't coming. Wait, no. That was the bounty hunter I was going to say that to. Yes, the bounty hunter. Haven't seen hide nor hair of a bounty hunter, though I'm sure one will come eventually. You'll get your excitement." He let of a high-pitched nervous laugh that echoed creepily around the massive room. Jacen and Jania looked at each other again. Were they protecting a mad being? "But come. Let me show you my house. This place stinks. I will show what I have done to prepare for the bounty hunter. And there will be a bounty hunter. I'm a wanted skaj. He wants me, yes he does, but he won't get my plans. My creations. This way. Come, come." He muttered madly or just stupidly as he led them toward the entrance they had come in. Jania looked back, using the Force to enhance her eyesight. She could see no other exits.  
  
They walked past the exit and through a maze of stacked crates. He came to another door and opened it to let them out. The two Jedi had to duck to walk through. Right in front of them was the wall to the other massive storage room. Skont locked the door behind him and unlocked this one. Though why he locked these ones was a mystery to them because he had a huge open one on the other wall. Maybe he was mad and was simply hallucinating all this. The fact that a being of an undistinguished race had heard something of the importance of an Emperor wannabe and Luke had not was almost unthinkable.  
  
But not quite.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*` *`*`*`*`*  
  
How'd you like? Yay? Nay? Review and tell me what you think! (Nota Bene: I'm making a sacrifice for you. I SHOULD be doing my homework, the devil's spawn, but I'm typing, just for my pleasure and you enjoyment.) 


	23. Merchandise

Disclaimer: See all my other chapters before this.  
  
I humbly beg your pardon. An author is nothing without readers and I have been lacking in my updates. Well, it's not ALL my fault. It was either my computer or my account on Fanfiction that was screwing me up. Either way, it was my fault that I could not get it in sooner. Thanks for the reviews to the last of my reviewers. Especially VampireNoami! Man, I love reading your reviews and I'm so glad that I have such an enthusiastic reviewer! And thanks as well to Sith Sora Jade, Infamous One, Illidan, Grand Admiral Gin, Lady Tauntaun, and Lightbulby. I'm glade you guys have reviewed. And thanks to all those readers who haven't reviewed!  
  
One last thing. I'm starting another story soon. It's about Joad. It's weird. It's called Ye Gods. When it comes up, I'll tell you. Please read and see it you like it. If enough people do, I'll continue it. If not, I might continue it anyway. Thanks!  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Joad Fett was completely sill as she watched the merchandise and the two Jedi move from one storage house to the other by way of a small door. Only when they were out of sight did she dare move. Jedi! Her first lone hunt, the one that will determine her readiness, and Jedi show up. Zarking Jedi. The only problem was that they were doing exactly what they thought was right, and so they wouldn't stop as long as they were alive. They just thought they could get other people to stop doing what the other people think is right.  
  
One Jedi, the girl, looked around as the merchandise unlocked the door. The other kicked at the ground. Amateurs. Joad paused. Why had she thought that? Wasn't she herself an amateur?  
  
They disappeared inside, the girl going in first. Joad looked at the boy in curiosity. You must remember she grew up surrounded by none except her father and the Kaminoeans. She could not remember seeing a human boy before, especially not one that looked her age. Both he and the girl seemed strangely familiar. But that was impossible.  
  
The girl came back out and the three entered the storehouse. And Joad's mind slipped back into the hunting state and the strange curiosity forgotten. She would kill him without so much as blinking if he got in the way. He would kill her too, but who knew if he would blink. Jedi seemed to only mind killing the innocent, but not those who were just doing what they were born to do. Not those who thought what they were doing was right, as Joad thought now. She had no qualms about bounty hunting. It was merely a profession.  
  
It was night by the time Joad decided to make her move. She had moved towards the other storage house through the dense undergrowth, carefully stalking, making little more than a sound and carefully not disturbing any woodland wildlife. This was the one that her merchandise lived in. The Jedi were both out of it, and he was in. There was only one exit, but the walls were not strong material, and an exit could easily be made. Slave I was above her, orbiting at the speed of the planet. All she needed to say was one word and it would blast down to her through the atmosphere and hover above this sight, doors open, higher than even a Jedi could leap. But not too high for her to get to with her jet pack while carrying her merchandise.  
  
She prepared her mind. She could not fail this once. Once failed, it would become harder and harder to get the merchandise, then it would be out right impossible, as more and more Jedi took interest in the little bugger.  
  
The two Jedi were getting their things from their old X-Wing. Nether was sparing a glance toward the storehouses. The planet's dull moon was up, but it hardly reflected any light. Joad stole along the wall, a black shadow bringing death with her, and went into the massive building.  
  
There was a maze of stacked crates to get through before the bulk of the building. The floor was mostly covered in straw except for a portion of it cleared away. Joad had her blaster out, fitted with a high-tech silencer that would reduce the scream of a shot to the sound of a bubble popping. Joad had tested it herself.  
  
And there he was. Her first target. He was staring at her, covered in shadow as she was. He rat features screwed up in a battle of fear against calm. He was small, but not thin.  
  
Suddenly and without warning he sprung at her, teeth barred, screaming an ear-slitting screech. Joad was caught off guard, but her body moved before her mind could and she ducked away from him. As she stood up, she pulled off a shot but it was hasty and knocked a crate to the ground. Her merchandise crouched on the ground panting. Joad heard the sound of boots running toward them and slipped into the darkness before she could take him. She watched as the two Jedi burst from the boxes, lightsabers blazing.  
  
"What happened?" demanded the girl.  
  
"The bounty hunter! She has come for me! I attacked her though, and she fled!" He jumped up and down in his triumph. Joad used his talking as a cover for her to flick her switch from stun to disintegrate. The Jedi were both on high alert, eyes moving, probably Force enhanced, the buzz of the lightsabers covering up any sound that Joad would make.  
  
Joad shifted into a crouch. She started firing as the girl was assuring the merchandise that there was nobody here. She seemed to want him calm and so she was deactivating her lightsaber as Joad blasted off. Using her jet pack she rocketed up towards the ceiling, kept on moving and firing. They had to protect their charge, and they moved in front of the creature. The girl left the other two behind and flipped up on to a stack of crates, leaping off that toward Joad. The heat of the lightsaber penetrated her helmet as Joad changed direction with a quick swivel of her hips, narrowly avoiding a quick death. Joad used this to her advantage, going into a spiraling dive, stopping her firing. Using her helmet's night vision, she found a soft looking landing point. She switched off her jet packs and caught her fall in a smooth roll. The silence in the place was deafening.  
  
The Jedi girl also landed with ease. She deactivated her light saber, no doubt hoping to be hid by the darkness as Joad was. Joad would have picked her out instantly even if she hadn't been watching where the girl would land. Joad ran toward her immediately, unsheathing two vibroblades and her arm razors. The girl spotted her, but too late. The vibroblades sliced through the handle of her lightsaber and Joad's body bowled both of them over. Joad righted herself and kicked the girl in the face, and was suddenly thrown back by an invisible wall. Crates flew at her from every direction. She struggled to say on her feet. "Never fall, because once you do, it's over." She pulled out her blaster and blasted two crates from the air. The girl staggered to her feet, eyes blazing.  
  
"Jania!" called the Jedi boy who was doing the crate throwing. He beckoned her, and Joad saw her merchandise try to sneak away. She would be having none of that. She used the struggling and furious Jedi as a ramp, placing her foot on the young woman's back and launching herself into the air. Once up, her jet pack activated and she fired something she had specifically brought along for the job: a weighted net. It hissed menacingly through the air and wrapped itself tightly around her merchandise, knocking it to the ground.  
  
Then suddenly a wall of Force slammed into her. She rushed toward the storage house wall, then was through it into the night. Pain laced up her side. But still the wall pushed her on. Joad struggled against it, willing her jet pack to obey her, to get her out of this trap. Branches, many not as small as she would have like, slapped her sides. She rushed backward through the forest, her jet packs whining in protest. Birds shrieked as she passed them. Still, it did not relent. It began to weaken and finally it stopped, dropping a whipped Joad on the ground, her jet pack shorted out, one mile from where she first started. Slowly she pulled herself to her feet. The hot and cruel flames of pain scorched her body and she let a solitary moan escape her. But the real pain was inside her.  
  
She had failed. 


	24. Name?

Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm not an owner of all the stuff in here, just Joad and the plot and stuff. That's all mine, and you can't use it without my say so. Got that, sonny?!  
  
Wow! Has it really been that long? It has! Shame on me, shame on me! I am ashamed. And I am. I'm terribly sorry to keep you folks waiting. School has just been so busy! Wah! I also don't know how to put words in italics.on the site. If anyone would be so kind as to enlighten me.. Anyway! Please, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 24  
  
She had been ready for anything. Even death. She had half expected to not return, maybe going up against stronger and better people. But failure had not once crossed her mind. Not once while she fought two Jedi. Not once in all the years she trained for the first time she would prove herself worthy of her father's pride. She had trained, not just for the first, but for the second, the third, the hundreds of uncountable times when she would succeed where others failed. But.  
  
"You zarking idiot! How many times did he tell you not to get cocky? Millions!"  
  
I didn't really get cocky, did I? Confidence isn't cockiness.  
  
"You know what? Don't make excuses. Go back there and get the merchandise."  
  
I should, shouldn't I?  
  
Joad started walking. Pain laced up her side and she decided against it. Better to just bring her ship to her. She was thankful that the controls on her wrist had not been smashed and called Slave I to her. She lay in the darkness, wondering how many bones were broken. It was interesting, really, to feel this much pain. She had never been hurt this bad during her years of training. Sure, broken ribs and an arm once, but that hadn't been done out in the field. There had always been medical care right there. But now, laying there in embarrassing defeat, waiting for her only chance of survival, it was different, harder on the mind, frightening even.  
  
But the fear was beaten down, as was the pain, and Joad limped in a few circles and decided that she wasn't too bad off. Slave I landed not too far away and Joad hobbled up the plank and Slave I returned to orbit, where it would lay in wait and watch.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jacen helped his sister to her feet, breathing hard as if he had just run a mile. She was staring at him, then up at the hole in the wall where the bounty hunter had flown through.  
  
"That was.amazing!"  
  
"Yeah," he ran his head through his hair. "Didn't know I could do that.."  
  
"Is he alright?" Jania jogged over to Skont, who was now emitting high- pitched squeaking noises and struggling fiercely, managing to entangle himself more. "Yeah, he's fine. Here, hold still. The bounty hunter is gone," and at this the bundle stopped momentarily, but continued, his voice now reaching such a pitch that they could no long understand his words, though he was trying to say something. Jania started slicing the threads with a vibro-blade, but had to stop to avoid cutting the skaj trapped in them. "Hold him!" Jacen seized Skont and Jania finished cutting the net. Skont spilled onto the floor, rolling away from them, and sprung to his feet.  
  
"It's alright. The bounty hunter is gone now. We got rid of it for you."  
  
His eyes rolled wildly, seeking to find a threat to his existence. He looked rabid, and one could almost expect to see foam leaking from his panting mouth.  
  
Later that night, Jacen and Jania stood guard over the sleeping engineer. They looked around cautiously, wondering weather the bounty hunter would return.  
  
"Jacen, did you get a good look at the armor?"  
  
"Yeah, but I didn't recognize it."  
  
"Oh come on! It was in the Mandalorian style! And you've heard enough from Dad to know who wears that kind."  
  
"Boba Fett? But.no one's see him for years."  
  
"Yeah, and it was a woman."  
  
"Oh, that too.. She didn't come across as very good, did she?"  
  
"She's young, like us. Couldn't you tell? And don't say she isn't very good. If you hadn't been there, I think she would have gotten away with our friend here."  
  
Jacen looked pleased with himself, thanking the darkness for hiding his blush. Skont gave a snort and rolled over. "Why don't you get some sleep sis, and I'll wake you up in a few hours."  
  
"Sure. Don't call me sis. Good night."  
  
Jania lay down on her sleeping roll, but didn't fall asleep for while. She had the strangest feeling she knew who their mysterious woman attacker was. A name lurked in the shadows of her memory. A few feet away from her, Jacen was also awake, thinking the same thing. 


	25. Fight, Fight, Fight!

**Disclaimer: Sigh, Star Wars is not mine. I mean, just because George Lucas made a movie off my brain waves I sent him before I was born....  
  
Shall I just repeat the last opening note? I really want to apologize. I do have an excuse, but reasons are just excuses. The excuse is: (deep breath) Iwaswritingastoryforthiscontestandthattookupallofmytime. And school, that's always a ready excuse.  
**  
Chapter 25 (happy sigh. I really do love this)  
  
What's in a name?  
  
Jacen could not help but think this as he searched his mind for the memory that held answers. His Force sense told something was wrong, that there was something he should know. He sat down one of the scattered crates that had not been picked up. Due to the persistence of Skont, they had patched up the human shaped hole in the wall with foliage. Both Jania and Jacen had inspected it and found no peculiarities, except for one of the hands of the bounty hunter had left a perfect outline of its shape in the wall.  
  
Jacen tried to contemplate what kind of hand would do that. A robot hand, he thought, or a really strong one

* * *

Joad massaged the back of her hand as she examined the screens before her; it really smarted.  
  
She took in all the screens at once, taking the information in one and applying it to the other. They were the footage from the hidden cameras she had set up while sneaking around the buildings. She had placed them at specific points so she could ensure that no other bounty hunters tried to run away with her merchandise. And it was hers.  
  
There was a flicker of movement on a screen that passed to another where it stopped. A smile crept onto her face underneath her mask. She recognized the bounty hunter that crouched stupidly in front of her camera. It was time for the games to begin.

* * *

Jacen had gotten up to stretch his legs after sitting on the crate for an hour. Maybe he should wake his sister up and get some sleep. He paced around, looking over at his twin sister, then at the snoring lump he was supposed to be protecting. He and Jania had protected him; Uncle Luke would be proud.  
  
Jacen started. He had not contacted his uncle to tell him what had happened. The translator was in the ship; no one had bothered to bring it in. He looked over at his sister but decided to let her sleep. It would only take a second after all.  
  
Understatement of the century.  
  
As Jacen made his way towards the X-Wing they had come in, his Force sense tingled. He moved rapidly out of the way, his light saber flying to his hand, but he was not quick enough. The light saber fell on ground as Jacen collapsed near it.  
  
Jania woke. She was not sure what had startled her from her sleep, but she had had enough experience with the Force to rely on it. Jumping to her feet, she noticed immediately that her brother was not there.  
  
"That lazy, no-good-.... He probably went to find something to eat." She took one look at Skont and sighed. She would have to stay here; the skaj they were there to protect should not be left alone. She sat down on the crate that Jacen had once occupied and took out her light saber. Her mind was still hazy from sleep. She was tired, and she began to nod.  
  
A twig snapped near the entrance and Jania jumped to her feet, suddenly awake. A figure stirred in the shadows, and it definitely not her brother. Her lightsaber hummed to life and she took up a fighting stance in front of Skont, who gave of an especially loud snore.  
  
"Come out and try to claim your prize, bounty hunter," she snarled at the figure.  
  
In its turn, the figure gave off a snarl bordering on roar that made Jania's sound like a whimper. It jumped to life, pulling out two blasters as it sprang forward. It fired them rhythmically at her which made it much easier for Jania; easier, that is, until he got closer. By the light of her lightsaber as she worked to fend him off, Jania could see who it was. She could recognize that scaly face anywhere.  
  
Bossk.  
  
As much as a blunderer as he was, Jania was having a hard time keeping her own in the fight. He had managed to knock away her lightsaber and now they were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Needless to say, with her lightsaber, Jania stood a chance, but without it, there was no way. She was under a much stronger and vicious being than her and losing fast. Her Force powers were still minimal after the previous battle and she was still tired.  
  
She felt like a punching bag. Jania was able to block and retreat, but not attack. Her ribs ached and her stomach protested her moving. A dribble of blood ran past her eye and more came from her lip. Bossk launched one more attack that sent Jania sprawling.  
  
"Poor baby Jedi, all alone with no one to guard her," sneered Bossk in her face. His breath stank.  
  
Using her last ounce of Force and strength she heaved Bossk off her. She dove for her lightsaber, but felt a clawed hand close about her ankle. He dragged her across the ground for a ways before picking her up and throwing her into a stack of crates. Jania saw him coming for her, as much of a smile on his face as one without any lips can muster, and knew it was death coming. Unless someone could save her.  
  
Then, out of nowhere, came a figure that plowed into Bossk. He bowled over with a cry and the red and black figure rolled off him. Jania was surprised to see the bounty hunter that had attacked them earlier.  
  
Joad leapt at Bossk again from behind. She fought the hate that burned within her; fighting with hate was never a good idea. Sure enough, Bossk fended her off. Joad calmed herself, forcing her hidden face to a mask of calm.  
  
Bossk bounded to his feet, snarling and spitting. They circled each other, slowly tightening the circle as each decided what to do and who was to do it first.  
  
"Say your prayers Fett. I'm gonna get you this time and make your daddy cry."  
  
Bossk broke the standstill, unable to bear it any longer. He lunched at her with the most straight forward attack there was: a tightfisted punch.  
  
A punch has the capability to do a lot of damage in numerous ways. It can serve as a bluff, stun your opponent, bruise your opponent, break the bones of your opponent, or, if you're strong enough, kill your opponent. However, being one of the most basic fighting maneuvers it has a lot of ways it can be blocked and avoided.  
  
Joad choose to avoid. All it took was a simple backbend over and suddenly she was not there, but was still there (think Matrix One). She could simply pop back up and launch her attack, but while Bossk was still throwing his punch, Jaod was attacking.  
  
While her torso was parallel to the ground, she pulled out two long vibroblades from the opposite arm. While Bossk was beginning to retaliate and pull his arm back, Joad was already lightly cutting his arm (there was no force behind her cut) with the X her blades made when she was still uncrossing her arms from grabbing the blades. At the same time she was rising from her parallel position and by the time the punch was finished, about two seconds, she was standing exactly as she had stood before.  
  
That was when Bossk had a hint of doubt. However, he had no time to brood on the subject. Joad was already attacking him and he was forced to use his rough and scaly forearms to bloke her furious assault. In fact, it was going to be impossible for him to be able to fight much longer if he were to go on fighting with no weapons. So he got a weapon.  
  
It was a well-aimed shot, at the heart. And it hit, which is a good thing because if it missed at close quarters he would never hear the end of it when word got out. Unluckily, most of Joad's body was covered in protective armor and the shot bounced off. Luckily for Bossk, the shot clipped her helmet, putting the first battle mark on her armor. Joad touched the curved burn with her hand as she staggered away. Secretly, she smiled.  
  
But it was not over. Bossk had his blaster out, but still Joad did not get hers. To retaliate for her disadvantage, spikes came out of her forearm armor with an ominous 'shing' and she leapt into action. Spinning in the air, she landed behind him and slashed viciously at his backside with all four blades. He dodged and rolled away to get a good shot at her, but a blade had already left her hand and was spinning toward him. It dug deep into his shoulder. With a scream of pain, he yanked it out. Then he threw it back, where it slid neatly under her shoulder armor. Joad grunted, but in reality it had barely broken the skin. She left it as it was.  
  
Bossk was running at her now, sure that he had her off-balance, snarling laughingly. No more playing by the rules. As Bossk neared her, she pulled out her blaster. Bossk didn't see it, blind with triumph, mistaking her battle stance for a stagger. He was almost upon her as the settings clicked to what she wanted. He leapt into the air, claws reaching out toward her, snarling inhumanly. Instead of a mouthful of neck and hands full of torn flesh, what he received was a shot in the face. Joad jumped out of the way as Bossk landed in a crumpled heap.  
  
Jania wondered why the bounty hunter had saved her. She knew of hunter competition, but the black and red bounty hunter, whom Bossk had called Fett, would have benefited from Bossk killing her. Maybe, just maybe, the bounty hunter had had a change of heart or mind. But as she straightened out, her thoughts were interrupted by a slow clicking sound and she knew that the tiny, microscopic chance was nonexistent. She turned and found the bounty hunter crouched over her charge, who had fainted, with her imposing blaster aimed directly at Jania. And by the sound of her thumb on the settings, it was no longer on the stun setting, and this bounty hunter didn't seem like the kind to miss.  
  
**Why did Joad only stun Bossk? **

**Is Jacen still out? **

**What will Jania do?**

** Stay tuned, answers sure to follow!**


End file.
